WATER RESTRICTIONS NOTICE NO 7

Note that this a slightly revised version of Water Restrictions notice No 7, published in this paper earlier  this week, to reflect the water tariffs both INCLUSIVE and EXCLUSIVE of VAT:

The Municipality would like to thank Metro residents for their continued efforts to save water in the City.  We do not expect major rains in the next three months (according to the South African Weather Services), which points to the drought not yet broken. Given our current usage and the legal limits imposed on water resources by the Department of Water and Sanitation, the custodian of all water resources, the following restrictions are being imposed.

Also note that the Metro, through the Executive Mayor, has declared a local state of disaster on 21 November 2019.

Financial Tariffs

In the Metro tariff structure, there are three parts that Council approves to deal with the following three scenarios:

·        Part A –Normal times

·        Part B - Applicable during times of water shortage

·        Part C - water shortage emergencies

On 11 July 2018, Council approved Water Restriction Notice No 5. Due to the severity of the drought then, the Municipality increased rates to Part C of the Tariff. Restriction 5 was revised on 21 September 2018, after heavy rains had fallen. Restriction notice No 6 (21 September 2018) then replaced Notice No 5, with the relaxation of tariffs to Part B.

In Restriction Notice No 7, which was approved on 21 November 2019 and published in this paper earlier this week, the phrase "reduced” was erroneously carried: in fact, the notice should have read that the Tariff remains at part B. This has been corrected in this notice, which also reflects the water tariffs both INCLUSIVE and EXCLUSIVE of VAT (see tariff structure below). The financial tariff will remain at Tariff B for both domestic and commercial users.

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Physical Restrictions

In order to reduce demand, the Metro has kept physical restrictions in place for domestic consumers. It also encourages Industrial and commercial consumers to use water with great care, as they play an important role in the economic development of the city.

The following physical restrictions now apply:

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 is prohibited with immediate effect:

1.     Restrict household consumption to 15 kl per metered connection.

a.     Or that a person be restricted to 50 litres per person per day.

2.     Blanket restriction of high consumers using discs or flow restrictors.

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

a.     The water is from a source other than municipal.

b.     The water is used for firefighting purposes.

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

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

6.     All building contractors must use treated effluent, collected from Fishwater Flats (or any other appropriate wastewater treatment works), other than for concrete work.

7.     All domestic customers will have a flow meter restrictor installed.

8.     All borehole users must register with the Municipality and comply with the conditions attached to such registration, particularly the prohibition on the sale or transfer of own borehole water for use on other properties.

9.     Non-municipal water must be used for swimming pools.

10.  No use of automatic urinal flushing systems allowed.

11.  All car washes will be required to recycle 60% of their water.

12.  No municipal showers around recreational facilities will operate.

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

14.  Residential, institutional and government users are subject to Part B of the Schedule of Tariffs.

15.  Commercial and Industrial users are subject to Part B of the Schedule of Tariffs.

16.  All requirements of the NMBM Water and Sanitation By-Law will be enforced, as will the conditions of this Restriction Notice. 

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

Notice-boards 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 Infrastructure and Engineering Directorate in writing of the existence of boreholes on their property, including the intention to sink new boreholes.  

Ref. 18 – 14 February 2020