Butterworth faces drastic water cuts

BUTTERWORTH and surrounding areas only have three weeks’ supply of water left as a crippling drought continues to engulf most parts of Mnquma municipality.

Without rain, authorities believe all taps in the area will run dry by August 15, forcing them, in the interim, to tighten water restrictions including completely shutting down the water flow on certain weekdays.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Butterworth, Ngqamakhwe and Centane will have to cope with a complete shutdown of water on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while water cuts will also continue at certain intervals on other days.

Mnquma has a total population 252 390 residents.

According to the Amathole district municipality (ADM), the water authority responsible for Mnquma and other local municipalities, the new crisis in the drought-stricken municipality is because the water supply from Xhilinxa Dam to the already low Gcuwa Dam – the area’s main supply – has now dried up.

Earlier this month it was reported that water levels at the Gcuwa Dam had decreased by 55% in just one year, from 86.1% in July last year to 38.7% this month.

ADM spokesman Siyabulela Makunga said yesterday the situation was becoming worse.

He confirmed that, as of this week, of all water supply would be shut down in the municipal area on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, communities will have access to water for only two four-hour periods each day.

“In addition to the normal shutdown of the water supply between 9am and 5pm, water will also be cut off between 9pm and 5am,” he said.

He said water carting would assist in areas currently without supply of water, on an ad-hoc basis.

Makunga urged the community to use water sparingly, “as water consumption patterns and demand remain high despite the drought”. —