The first day of water-shedding in the Eastern Cape’s Kouga local municipality has commenced. This is due to low water levels at the Impofu dam and the Churchill dam reaching less than 10% capacity. Jefferys Bay, Humansdorp, and the surrounding St Francis area will be affected.
Residents in this area are quickly learning to live with dry taps. When dams are depleted, every drop counts.
Residents will bear the brunt of seven hours of daily water shedding.
“The water crisis here is affecting us very badly. Yes, we do understand that the dams are dry and we are praying for rain soon in the catchment areas. We just hope the municipality will keep its word and make sure they stick to the times they tell us,” a resident laments.
“It’s very frustrating but I can understand why the municipality has done this. Water is a scarce resource and it’s very frustrating. However, if we don’t watch our consumption then we’ll have no water,” another resident says.
The local businesses are also feeling the pinch.
“It’s been day one now and we can see the difference, business is slow and we have no solution so we don’t know now all we can do is pray,” says business owner, Denise Barnard.
The municipality says the shedding is a short-term plan as it’s working around the clock to conserve and increase water supply to the region.
“We need to get more water in our reservoirs and that is the focus, we are busy now and we have enough water in terms of volume, the issue is just the quality of water, we are busy treating the water in raw plants and installing raw plants and that should be online very soon,” explains Kouga Municipality Deputy Mayor, Hattingh Bornman.
Churchill dam, the last standing dam supplying the municipality is currently at 9 percent. Residents are urged to use water sparingly.
VIDEO: Taps are fast running dry in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro: Joseph Tsatsire
