Metro to clamp down on heavy water users
THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will soon be able to tell which areas are using the most water in the city.
Infrastructure, engineering and electricity political head Annette Lovemore said the metro’s meter readings and billing system would be used to determine which areas used the most water.
Areas showing the highest consumption would be targeted by the municipality’s water ambassadors and metro police.
Lovemore said those seen flouting new restrictions could be issued with spot fines.
The municipality hopes to have the meter and billing systems analysis up and running by the end of this week.
“There is a very definite threat our water supply might be shut off if we reach our daily quota, and to avoid this we will have to implement water-shedding, with different areas cut off for a few hours at a time.
“To get our reservoir levels up from their very low levels last week, we have already had to use more than our allocation for the first few days of December,” she said.
“We will assess the situation as we go but at this stage, a second non-compliance will result in a fine.
“We certainly might have to issue fines immediately in the near future. No residents have yet been prosecuted, only warning letters have been issued,” Lovemore said.
Every household is urged to use a maximum of 250l of water a day and not exceed 400l as this could result in punitive tariffs being imposed.
Lovemore said water-shedding was a basic requirement for all.
“If every individual takes shorter showers, washes only full loads of dishes or clothes, flushes the toilet only when necessary, and fixes household leaks we should make it through this crisis.
“But if the supply is throttled, it will be over the Christmas period and we simply cannot allow this to happen.”
Report water leaks to 0800-205050.