THE DROUGHT CONTINUES… AND OUR DAM LEVELS ARE DROPPING ….

VIEW FULL WATER RESTRICTIONS AND BY-LAW

WATER RESTRICTIONS IN FORCE

In terms of Section 4 of the Water Services Act 108 (No 108 of 1997) and Clause 31 of the Water and Sanitation Services By- Law, the following will be prohibited from immediate effect:

1.     All domestic customers will have a flow meter restrictor installed to reduce the water pressure to reduce losses.

2.      All domestic customers to limit water usage to 50 litres per person per day or 15 kilolitres per month for households.

3.      All domestic customers, with excessive use, will have a flow meter restrictor installed to limit usage to 15 kilolitres per month.

4.      For Non-Assistance to the Poor (ATTP) users, notices to all consumers using above 15 kilolitres per month will be served immediately and restrictors will be installed thereafter, at the cost of the customer.

5.      Industrial and commercial users and institutions will be requested to reduce their consumption by at least 20%:

         5.1    Reduce their water consumption for production.

         5.2    Reduce their domestic consumptions

         5.3    Reuse and recycle water.

6.      No use of municipal water supply allowed to water gardens, wash cars, hose down walls or paving, top up pools, fountains or ponds, etc.

7.      No use of hosepipes allowed (to water gardens, wash cars, hose down walls or paving, top up pools, fountains or ponds, etc.), unless:

7.1   The water is from a source other than municipal.

7.2   The water is used for firefighting purposes.

8.     No use of sprinklers or irrigation systems allowed, unless the water is from a source other than municipal.

9.     All building contractors to use treated effluent, collected from Fishwater Flats at no cost (or any other appropriate wastewater treatment works), other than for concrete work.

10.   All borehole users must register with the NMBM and must abide by all relevant legislative requirements in terms of use for domestic purposes only (National Water Acts and NMBM By-law).

11.   All boreholes usage to be restricted by 20%, as per directive from the Department of Water and Sanitation.

12.   No applications to build swimming pools will be approved.

13.   No use of automatic urinal flushing systems allowed.

14.   All car washes must be closed if they have not achieved the requirement to recycle 60% of their water.

15.   Municipal swimming pools must be filled with suitable ground water.

16.   No municipal showers around recreational facilities will operate.

17.   Schedule of water tariffs:

         17.1 Residential, institutional and government users will remain on Part B of the Schedule of Tariffs.

         17.2 Commercial and Industrial users will remain on Part B of the Schedule of Tariffs.

18.   All requirements of the NMBM Water and Sanitation By-Law will be enforced.

19.   Every special previous concession falls away and reapplication must be made.

The prohibitions contained in this notice shall not apply in any case specifically exempted, in writing, by the Executive Director: Infrastructure and Engineering.

Noticeboards must be prominently displayed where water from sources other than the Municipality’s water supply system is used for irrigation. Land owners must notify the NMBM Infrastructure and Engineering Directorate in writing of the existence of boreholes on their property, including the intention to sink new boreholes.

The contravention of this prohibition constitutes a criminal offence.

Water Tariff Structure:

Part B of the Charges & Tariffs (Applicable during times of water shortage) (Excl. VAT):

Part C of the Charges & Tariffs (Applicable during times of water shortage emergency) (Excl. VAT):

Note: The above Tariffs are subject to change in line to what Council Approves.

WHAT HAS THE MUNICIPALITY DONE ABOUT THE WATER SITUATION?

The Municipality has implemented a number of emergency schemes and interventions to mitigate the consequences of the water shortage. Here are some of them:

1.    Emergency schemes

• Making available non-potable water to the public at no cost, to offset potable water consumption.
• Promoting use and making available return effluent water from all waste water treatment plants
• Making available untreated ground water at Coega Kop (this water will be collected at the Motherwell Cemetery).
• Using additional clarified and chlorinated unfiltered water from the Nooitgedagt Water Treatment Works to increase the Municipality’s total treatment capacity by 30 megalitres per day.
• Planning and completing feasibility studies for the desalination of sea water.
• Fast tracking the construction of the new Coega Kop Water Treatment Works and Well Field ground water from the artesian aquifers in the area surrounding Coega Kop.

2.    Interventions

Human capital resourcing, i.e. staff recruitment comprised the appointment of 13 plumbers, as well as 1 Senior Superintendent, 2 Superintendents and 6 Installation Inspectors.

3.   Other interventions:

• Sourcing external capacity to augment internal capacity – Contractors were procured to assist in leak detection and fixing.
• Intensification of the Assistance To The Poor (ATTP) Programme – This programme inter alia ensures that internal leaks in indigent local households are fixed.
• Serving notices to schools that consistently record high consumption.
• Installing water demand management devices at schools to stop water abuse.
• Training Peace Officers authorised to issue fines to water abusers and enforce the NMBM Water & Sanitation Bylaw.
• A 10-year business plan was developed and approved by Council to deal with the major problem of non-revenue water, as well as bulk water supply and meters; remote meter reading; pressure management and billing management; water and sanitation tariffs; leak repairs; operations and maintenance; domestic meter audits; valve and hydrant audits; water meter replacement; reservoir rehabilitation; and community awareness.

We urge all our stakeholders to be vigilant in the protection of our water infrastructure, as water disruptions are occurring as a result of theft and vandalism at reservoirs and pump installations.

We thank all our residents and stakeholders for working with us to mitigate the impact of the water shortage. We require the active participation of each and every resident to ensure water sustainability in our City.

Please take up the challenge of bringing our consumption down to 250 megalitres a day. We can do it!