Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Health has notified the public that provincial hospitals are experiencing water interruptions due to various “challenges” experienced by water utilities Rand Water and Joburg Water.

Gauteng Health’s head of communication, Motalatale Modiba said some health facilities, including Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) and Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH) in Johannesburg, and Pholosong Hospital in Ekurhuleni were experiencing water supply interruptions.

“Helen Joseph and surrounding areas started experiencing lower water pressure as of Wednesday, 13 September, as a result of Dunkeld reservoir’s low water levels.

“The areas that are affected include the accident and emergency department, intensive care unit and the various wards. The facility management is closely monitoring the situation and have put in place measures to divert priority 1 (emergency and critical) and priority 2 (urgent but stable) patients to other facilities when necessary.

“Rahima Moosa has been having inconsistent water supply as of 6 September due to Hursthill 1 reservoir being critically affected,” Modiba said.

He said Johannesburg Water had committed to dispatch water tankers to the two health facilities to minimise the impact on services, and that technicians from the Department of Infrastructure Development were currently monitoring the water level in the hospital tanks while waiting for water tankers.

“Pholosong Hospital started experiencing water ‘challenges’ on Thursday, 14 September, due to Rand Water’s Mapleton pump station not functioning. The hospital water reservoirs are very low, which means the main reservoirs do not have sufficient water to pump into the feeder tank which then supplies the hospital.

“The hospital has since put measures which include the City of Ekurhuleni providing water tankers, hospital diversion to afford the hospital intermittent relief on all patients, especially priority 1 patients and high-risk maternity (patients), and postponing elective surgeries,” he said.

Modiba said the department would like to apologise to the patients and public for the inconvenience that had been caused by the water challenges experienced by the water utilities. He said even with contingency measures in place, health facilities still relied on the constant supply of water from the relevant authorities to carry out their services.

The Saturday Star