There's no water but we still have to pay, says Graaff-Reinet resident

The town's main water supply, the Nqweba Dam was completely dry, and residents were relying on trucks to deliver water.

Residents of Kroonvale in Graaff-Reinet were relieved after receiving water from the Gift of the Givers on 20 November 2019. Picture: Kaylynn Palm/EWN

Kaylynn Palm | 62 days ago

GRAAFF-REINET - While government insisted it was working on assessing the grinding drought in the Eastern Cape, Graaff-Reinet residents said the water crisis was not getting better but worse.

The town's main water supply, the Nqweba Dam was completely dry, and residents were relying on trucks to deliver water.

Going without water for as long as two weeks was now part of the reality of life in Kroonvale.

Standing at the truck distributing water on Wednesday, community members argued to get to the front of the queue.

One of them was Katelyn Reid, who told Eyewitness News that their toilets were smelling, washing was piling up and they could not even wash their own bodies on a daily basis.

#ECdrought Kroonvale residents collect their bottled water from @GiftoftheGivers this afternoon.
🎥 @kaylynnpalm pic.twitter.com/hb9gGCANiQ
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 20, 2019

#ECDrought The current state of the Nqweba Dam. @kaylynnpalm pic.twitter.com/7aMUNR4deT
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 20, 2019

#ECdrought Residents of Kroonvale were relieved after receiving water from @GiftoftheGivers today. @kaylynnpalm pic.twitter.com/LbIWjwZ39N
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 20, 2019

"It's getting worse by the day, the main issue is that there's just no running water in the taps, but you know what is funny, we still have to pay water bills coming from the municipality."

She said there's no communication from the municipality as to when the water would be running again, or when the water tanker deliveries would happen.

"Did you ever hear, you must reuse and recycle water... the same water you use for potatoes when you peel it and wash it, you throw it in the toilet and basin to wash yourself."

Reid said she was so used to not having water, she was not sure what she'd do with water when she had lots of it.

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