Cape Town – The Western Cape Government is finalising plans to keep schools open in areas most affected by the Province’s crippling drought.
Premier Helen Zille unveiled plans on Wednesday, 31 January 2018 to principals of schools dependent on the Western Cape Water Supply System.
Water sources; Water storage; Water transport, as required; Water reticulation at schools; and Water management.
Water sources The main water sources in the short term are: limited municipal water in certain; groundwater (from boreholes), recycled water; and sea water.
Recycled water Thirty-one schools are currently drawing recycled water from the City’s treated effluent water network, that covers many areas of the City.
Officials will work with the City to map schools to the network, to enable them to draw recycled water for their ablution facilities as well as for fire security.
The Western Cape Government will consider sea water in cases where schools cannot access borehole or recycled water for sewage purposes.
The WCED has tasked the Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) to install reticulation systems to connect all tanks as well as ground water supplies to the school facilities, and this work is well underway.
A key priority is to ensure that all schools dependent on the Western Cape Water Supply System have at least water storage facilities which are plumbed to the reticulation system of the school.
Officials will work with the City to map schools to pipelines carrying potable water to water collection points and key facilities such as hospitals.