Dams in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro have hit an all-time low, the combined levels that supply the metro have dropped to below 20%. This makes it one of the worst droughts in the metro in decades.
Tighter water restrictions have been implemented as of Wednesday. Consumers have been doing their part and usage has dropped from 305 mega litres daily to 251 mega litres, but this is not enough.
Nelson Mandela Metro mayor Athol Trollip says they have introduced new water restrictions. “We have to introduce more restrictive measures. And I’m going to highlight some of those. Households reduced to 15 kl per meter connection. So that means per meter connection, there is no difference if there is one or 10 people on that property.”
Trollip says there will be cost implications for those who do not follow the restrictions. “If you use above 15, there is going to be a punitive charge and will cost a lot of money. … all those using above daily limits, restricted, no hosepipes, only municipal water for firefighting. No use of municipal water for gardens, cars, top up pools, no new pools approved, no use of automatic urinal systems, shut down and monitored, car washes to be closed if they don’t manage to use 60 % recycled water. No municipal showers, beach fronts etc., which will affect blue flag beaches, commercial and industrial are now to be subjected to part c of regulations.”
Extra plumbers have been contracted to address leaks.
Almost 30 000 houses in the metro are without water meters, meters will be installed in these houses as a matter of urgency.
If levels drop to 15% water consumption per person will be lowered from 50 litres to 40 litres per day.
