A local Kimberley community consisting of 30 families, who live 15 km from Droogfontein Solar Power, are about to receive purified drinking water for the first time. Comprising mostly of farm workers, this community has to-date been getting their drinking water untreated from the Vaal River, leaving the families vulnerable to a number of water illnesses. “Currently these homes are drinking water drawn directly from the river and are running a risk of sickness caused by contamination. The purified water will greatly reduce the risk of sickness and increase the wellbeing of the local community,” Mark Pickering, General Manager of Droogfontein Solar Power.
The families that will benefit form part of the Droogfontein Community Property Association, and the landowners of the solar project. “The Community Property Association executive committee decided on the two locations for the water purification plants; ensuring that there is access to water, an electrical supply and in close proximity to a group of homes who are in desperate need of clean drinking water,” added Pickering.
“We are pleased that these families can finally have access to clean and safe drinking water after living at risk for so long,” said Thabo Modupe, Chairman of the Droogfontein Community Property Association (CPA). He continued saying, “This is money well spent, as the purification plant will make a difference to these families’ lives for generations to come”.
The water purification plants, which cost around R400 000, are containerized purification units complete with pumps, filters, valves and controls to purify the water directly from an existing water supply so that it is safe for drinking. The plants also consist of one 10,000L tank for unpurified water and one 10,000L tank for purified water.
