The deteriorating water situation in Gauteng has prompted Rand Water to call an urgent meeting with the Department of Water and Sanitation on Monday.
The water utility says Johannesburg Commando system levels have worsened from critically low to empty, this is due to Rand Water’s uninterrupted load shifting from Einkenhof to recover the Palmiet system.
The bulk water utility says the affected areas include Melville, Auckland Park, Richmond, Parkview, Emmarentia, Montgomery Park and Westbury, leaving some Gauteng residents furious.
Rand Water says since the beginning of Spring the demand for water in municipalities per day has grown from 4 300 megalitres to 4 900 megalitres.
Parts of Gauteng left without water
Spokesporson Makenosi Maroo says, “Last week we implemented stage 2 restrictions. However, these restrictions have not yielded the desired outcomes. As a result we are now applying the flow management system. This measure will ensure that Rand Water takes full control of water supply. Which means we no longer rely on consumers to reduce water consumption.”
The bulk water utility says the current water demand amounts to a daily usage of water per person per day to 300 litres, almost double the world’s average of 173 litres.
Residents have been advised to use water sparingly.
“To avoid intermittent water supply, we are urging our consumers to reduce their water consumption. We also recommend that municipalities impose water restrictions. We further request our end users to stop using sprinkler systems and we also encourage people not to use hosepipes to wash their cars,” Maroo says.
Gauteng’s water system strained; residents warned to use water sparingly:
