No joy yet over NMB water tariffs
Water restriction-stretched Nelson Mandela Bay residents will have to put their smiles on hold.
Despite infrastructure and engineering political head Andile Lungisa saying on Friday that an announcement on a way forward with water tariffs would be made on Monday that “will put a smile on ratepayers’ faces”, Monday came with no good news just yet.
Any announcement to relax water tariffs in the wake of good rains and rising dam levels has been put on hold until the Bay’s political leadership receives a report on the dam levels from officials from the department of water and sanitation.
Lungisa said on Monday: “It’s not as simple as changing tariffs – we’re still doing water assessments and, once we’re done, we’ll make the announcement.”
Asked why he said a statement would be made on Monday, Lungisa backtracked, saying all he said was an announcement would be made early this week.
“It’s still early and we’ll meet on Tuesday,” he said.
However, municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said no announcement would be made as yet.
With main supply dam levels now at a combined average of 47.2% – up from 17.95% at the end of August – Mniki said the municipality was taking a measured approach with regards to restrictions.
SA Weather Service spokesperson Garth Sampson has warned that no rain was expected in the immediate future and that the seasonal forecast was below-normal rainfall for the period up to December.
Sampson said the recent downpours were a result of a cut-off low in the upper atmosphere.
“Cut-off lows most frequently occur between March and September.
“So, as a rule of thumb, we will have to wait until next year [from March onwards] for any good chance of a similar event,” Sampson said.