GROUNDUP : Taps dry as Eastern Cape town waits for water works upgrade
Upgrades to the Fort Beaufort water treatment works are months behind schedule.
Fort Beaufort, an Eastern Cape town, is grappling with ongoing water shortages and infrastructure issues as upgrades to its water treatment works lag behind schedule. Minister Pemmy Majodina had allocated R150 million for complete refurbishment by June 2027, increasing capacity to 15 million litres per day. However, in the interim, R22 million was granted in 2025/26 through a water services infrastructure grant, with completion expected by June 2026.
GroundUp visited the town in September and found taps often dry for weeks when water returned it was limited to late-night availability. Residents have repeatedly protested over shortages, and the Department of Water and Sanitation has intervened with water provided by Gift of the Givers.
Increased demand due to the introduction of waterborne sanitation in 2015 has outpaced the treatment works' capacity of 6.5 million litres per day. Leaks, particularly from household toilet cisterns, have further compounded shortages. The Amathole District Municipality identified 1,059 households requiring repairs, but several communities, especially rural ones, remain without water.
Residents, like Jerome Trompetter, who has lost the use of his toilet, are growing frustrated. Water shortages force businesses to close, and some residents are resorting to fetching water from nearby rivers. Municipal workers, despite repeated complaints, have not consistently fixed the issues, leaving many in a state of despair.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
