The water situation in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape remains dire with dam levels continuing to drop. They are now at 20% capacity.
This is despite the recent good rains which have fallen over the Western Cape.
There has been no significant rain in the Nelson Mandela Bay this winter. It has been three years since the supply dams were full.
The Kouga dam is currently at 7.8 %. The municipality continues to urge residents to save water. Further restrictions are on the cards.
“It actually means there is a part of that water that we cannot use, when it is at 20%, not all 20% can be used. It’s a very worrisome situation, as you know we gave different initiatives that we are doing, at the main water restrictions, looking at if we can go another stage, because we are at part currently, there is no agreement yet. As you know it takes a process for council to agree,” says Municipal Spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki.
The metro’s saving grace is the Nooitgedacht Water Scheme which supplies water from the Gariep dam. It currently adds about 140 million litres a day to the Metro’s water supply.
Phase three of this project is in the making and once it is online it will be able supply more than 200 million litres a day, just more than half of the metro’s daily usage. Some residents are heeding the call to cut back.
“What I do is quick showers, in and out, I wash my car twice a month and I use a bucket, I no longer use a hose,” says resident Mthuthuzeli Nofemele.
The war on leaks is also in full swing.
