AS the water flow returned to normal in most Port Elizabeth suburbs yesterday, some areas still had dry taps.
On Thursday, two pipelines from the Churchill and Impofu dams collapsed near the Van Stadens River Resort.
This caused seven of the 54 reservoirs in the city to run dry, leaving more than a third of the city without water.
Yesterday evening, water shortages were still reported in Gelvandale, Gelvan Park, Parkside and Summerstrand.
Municipal spokesman Kupido Baron said: "We are not out of the woods yet but workers are pushing the water into Summerstrand.”
He said the municipality was only using the airport reservoir for the suburb.
"The second reservoir for Summerstrand [Driftsands] is still low but we are doing our best,” Baron said.
The spokesman said the outer boundaries of the suburb should be restored today as the water slowly started to flow through the pipes.
Regarding the three northern suburbs, Baron said: "We have our engineers at the drawing board right now looking at solutions to get water to these areas.”
He said the Chelsea, Gelvandale and Malabar reservoirs – which feed Gelvandale, Gelvan Park and Parkside – were still low.
"Municipal workers will be on the job all night. We are doing our best to find a solution.”
Municipal officials and contractors worked tirelessly at the weekend to fix one of the two feeders, a 700mm steel pipe.
It could take almost two weeks to repair the second one, a 1000mm diameter concrete pipe which dates back to the 1940s.
While a final financial assessment was not yet available, Baron said the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality had already rung up a hefty R1-million repair bill.
Baron appealed to residents to save water.
For further information, contact Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s hotline: 0800-20-50-50.
