By Wardāh Wilkinson

Hospitals in the Western Cape will rely heavily on water from boreholes if ‘Day Zero’ arrives. With Cape Town’s drought now at crisis point, the essential services sector has no alternative but to continue functioning, even if water dries up. While the City of Cape Town is rushing to carry out emergency plans, the public health sector is confident that it will be able to continue as normal.

The Western Cape Health department spokesperson Marika Champion said water is an essential part of healthcare services. The department has a ready plan in place which will ensure that Groote Schuur, Tygerberg, Karl Bremer and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s’ Hospital will not come to a standstill if taps run empty.

“This prepared plan is in conjunction with Department of Transport and Public Works, City of Cape Town and some other private sectors to make sure that health services keep the taps flowing in the essential service’s sector. We are relying on the Department of Public Works for drilling boreholes at hospitals which does not have.”

“We are fortunate as there are hospitals that have old existing boreholes at other facilities which then only require reactivation,” Champion added.

There are success stories of using boreholes. Beaufort West region has run out of dam water and the health sectors are now relying on the hospital boreholes.

Closer to home now at Karl Bremer Hospital, there is a reactivated borehole which supplies 10 litres of water per hour and the drilling of a second borehole is in progress. Tygerberg hospital has two boreholes which will be activated.

The department is consulting with geo-hydrologists who are assessing the situation.

“We are also looking at energy and water efficiency in the long run. This also includes grey and rain water,” she said.

“Currently our only aim is to make sure those health care faculties has water. The disaster management team has plans in place for the effect of the boreholes. The Western Cape department of health is working on a plan to ensure there is water on day zero.” VOC