The upgraded Damani Water Treatment Works was officially handed over last Thursday, much to the relief of the residents of Tshipako, Damani, Khubvi, and surrounding villages outside Thohoyandou.

The project had a budget of R18-million and was funded by the Department of Co-Operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, along with the Water and Sanitation Department of the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM).

The project covered the storage of water and the erection of a bulk pipeline. It increased capacity from 4 megalitres per day to 12 megalitres per day, but this is still not sufficient to serve all the villages in the area. A water-reticulation plant will soon be completed for new households in areas such as Hamakhuvha Extension (known as Gudumabama), Tshidimbini, and Tshitereke villages. In the interim, the VDM will provide water via tankers to these areas.

The executive mayor of the VDM, Freda Nkondo, who handed over the water project to the rural communities, said water was life and communities could not thrive without clean water from the taps. “We have brought clean water to rural communities around here and have declared that we are ready to supply you with clean water. We urge you to take care of the water infrastructure,” said Nkondo.

The traditional leader of Khubvi village, Vhamusanda Thinawanga Randima, said they were custodians of the people, and they were pleased that clean water was coming to the communities as water shortages had hindered rural development.

“We can assure the mayor and her councillors that we will mobilise the communities to guard against any illegal connections. We are against any form of vandalism of water infrastructure. We will inform the municipality and police if any such vandals are found, and they will be arrested and prosecuted by law-enforcement agencies,” said Vhamusanda Randima.