Durban — An infuriated Ugu ratepayer said he was ready to face the municipality over continuing to bill for water even though Hibberdene homes had been without a supply since March.
The resident, a developer of an estate in Hibberdene, said for the past 10 months, maybe longer, the municipality had sent a bill based on an average reading.
He said the bill, which was paid by the managing agent, amounted to between R9 000 to R12 000 a month.
“The municipality is charging an average water rate every month. We have not had water here on the estate since the beginning of March. If it wasn’t for a borehole that I started here many years ago we would be sitting without water,” he said.
The resident said he would formally bring the issue to the attention of the municipality this week.
“I’ve told the managing agent not to pay the water bill any more.”
South Coast Water Action Group (SCWAG) founding member Hilton O’Dwyer said the group had been working on a proposal to send to parliamentary committees on these issues.
“We have also been looking at developing a local water resource for Hibberdene and surrounds. I have approached the municipality to ask if they are willing to co-operate. Every time there is a problem with water, Hibberdene and Ramsgate go for lengthy periods without water. We have solutions but they (municipality) don’t want to consider the solutions,” he said.
SCWAG, a group of residents and business owners, was formed in an attempt to resolve the water crisis.
O’Dwyer suggested that the only solution was for Ugu residents, and other communities that had similar problems, to look at the country’s legislation – the Water Act, Municipal Finance Management Act and Municipal Structures Act.
“As well as the Constitution. These acts have sections in them that allow for community participation.”
He said St Helen’s Rock pump station was pumping 50% of its capacity and the Hibberdene pump station had been at 0% for three months.
The Ugu District Municipality said on its Facebook page that during this month there would be a series of shutdowns as it began recommissioning and was busy with upgrades at the St Helen’s Rock pump station.
Spokesperson France Zama said that after the April floods the municipality’s northern system of Port Shepstone, which supplied areas from Ntwentweni to Hibberdene, was damaged.
“Due to the fact that the infrastructure is old, the system has been very fragile. That system has been restored.”
“Reservoirs higher up are taking time to fill up. Static tanks have been installed in those areas. Low areas of Hibberdene, unless residents say otherwise, water has been restored.”
Zama said that of the council’s approved budget for 2022/23, more than R240 million was for pipe repairs.
Daily News