Water supplies are far from secure

IF KwaZulu-Natal doesn’t get above average rainfall in the next three months, the bid to bring our water supply back to normal will suffer a setback.

“For our dams to begin rising significantly, at least two seasons of above-average rainfall are required,” said Umgeni Water spokesman Shami Harichunder yesterday.

He said the next three months of the rainy season were crucial. He said that if above-average rainfall was not received, the water available in the Umgeni system would have to last until the next rainy season.

Yesterday Midmar Dam was just over half full at 55 percent, its level having been raised with the help of an inflow from Spring Grove Dam.

Downstream, Umgeni Water’s other large dam stood at a miserable 27 percent.

“Water is normally transferred into Albert Falls from Midmar, but this has stopped because of inadequate water in Midmar,” Harichunder said.

“Midmar and Albert Falls dams will have to reach levels of 70 percent each to meet demand.”

This time last year Midmar stood at 48 percent and Albert Falls was at 40 percent.

“In October and November 2016 an estimated 1 000mm rainfall was received in the entire Umgeni system. This is on par with the 20-year average. However, rainfall received in 2016, in 2015 and part of 2014 remains below average.”

He called for strict adherence to water restrictions, which stand at 15 percent in Pietermaritzburg and Durban, except for the northern areas fed by Hazelmere Dam.

Elsewhere, 30 percent restrictions remain in Ixopo despite the town’s dam being at 96 percent – 84 percent up on a year ago.

“Thirty percent water restrictions have been implemented at Maphumulo, iLembe District, as a result of the Imvutshane River having dried up,” Harichunder said.

“In the remaining two systems of Umgeni Water, Middle South Coast and Hazelmere, all water restrictions have been lifted after good rains.”

He said that this long weekend, Ugu District Municipality’s water demand for Umzinto, Scottburgh, Pennington, Kelso and surrounds is expected to increase by between 20 percent and 30 percent a day.

“The Umzinto system on the middle South Coast has recovered significantly from a year ago with the Umzinto, EJ Smith and Nungwane dams all full.”