Buffalo City metropolitan concerned about low dam levels

The Eastern Cape’s Buffalo City metropolitan area is also feeling the grip of the long-term drought ravaging the province.

City officials are concerned as dam levels continue to drop, with the average capacity of its supply dams sitting at below 33%.

The Metro has already implemented stage three water restrictions. Buffalo City Metro mayor Xola Phakathi, says they are looking at other means of supplying water to communities.

“The are many other options that we are discussing. One being the provision of boreholes for the rural communities so that we can have sustainable water provision for those communities but also looking at the possibility of a desalination plant. We have now concluded because of climate change we are not going to have sustainable rainfall.”

The residents of the city say the municipality must take the lead in water conservation.

“Fix all the taps to make this issue easy and the people must go to Buffalo City metropolitan and report things. The municipality should be the one taking the lead to preserve and to educate people and become aware of the situation that it is facing.”