Some relief from Sterkfontein Dam
THE country’s water crisis has edged up the national agenda and was addressed in the cabinet yesterday along with other pressing issues of rebuilding the ailing economy and South Africa’s proposed nuclear deals.
The cabinet announced that a technical task team has been established to monitor the implementation of water restrictions and has set a target in Gauteng for Rand Water to reduce the supply to the province by 687 million litres per day to conserve dangerously low water supplies.
In Ekurhuleni, the metro has already announced the desperate measure of cutting water supplies throughout the region from 9pm to 5am, starting on Monday.
This comes as residents have only managed to register a 3.5 percent water savings rate, a massive shortfall from the required 15 percent saving and as the council has already issued fines of more than R1.7 million to individuals and businesses who have grossly exceeded their consumption levels. To date around 3 000 businesses and 41 000 households in the metro have been fined.
Ekurhuleni’s water supply, as with the rest of Gauteng, is dependent on the Vaal Dam which has levels hovering just above the tipping point of 25 percent, as temperatures continue to soar and as greater seasonal demand for water increases.
The government has also announced that the Vaal Dam levels will now be supplemented with water from the Sterkfontein Dam from Monday. The Sterkfontein Dam is one of 14 dams in the Vaal River system.
Sterkfontein Dam has registered an increase in water levels while the Vaal, which is more prone to evaporation, has dropped week by week during the drought.
This emergency measure has been deemed essential to meet the needs of Gauteng’s 13 million users.
Apart from these measures taken by the local authorities, it’s still up to individuals to change their behaviour around water usage and water saving.
This week several suburbs in Joburg saw their taps run dry. Suburbs like Northcliff and part of the CBD had no water for several days. It meant the council had to use water tankers for emergency water supply to affected areas.
Residents are urged to continue to use water wisely and to report leaks and raise awareness about the crisis.
Mlimandlela Ndamase, the spokesperson for Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, said while many South Africans have heeded the call to save water and are doing their best, more still has to be done.
Said Ndamase: “There is starting to be some response. People are starting to save some water but obviously it requires more of us to save water. We must start naming and shaming those who use water unwisely and irresponsibly. We must report them to the authorities so that they can start enforcing the law.”
To report water leakages, burst pipes and water wasters, call 0860 543 000 in Ekurhuleni and 0860 562 874 in Joburg.