Residents of more than 30 villages in North West face a dry holiday season after service providers owed millions of rand by the district municipality cut off water supplies.

Four companies — Gaoranolwe Investment, Maqs Construction and Plant Hire, Mafoko Brothers and Ziggy Investments — were given a three-year contract to ferry water to 119 villages by the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality. But the companies have suspended deliveries due to non-payment. The contract, which expires in September next year, entailed delivering clean drinking water to 918 tanks placed at strategic points around the villages.