NMBM DROUGHT
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WATER OUTLOOK REPORT:
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OLDER REPORTS
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CURRENT STATUS SUMMARY: 7 MARCH 2022
The risk of taps running dry has increased since the last update
a month ago. This is due to:
- Temporary decommissioning of Grassridge temporary water treatment plant to resolve water quality failures, and
- Lack of rainfall and runoff to boost local dam levels.
Over the past year, Nelson Mandela Bay
Municipality (NMBM) has released multiple notices to the media and on our
website explaining that the local dam levels are critically low and that we
have to adhere to restrictions imposed by the national Department of Water and
Sanitation (DWS). The volume of water we are allowed to draw from the local
Eastern Cape dams located on the western side of the city has been restricted
by between 50 and 85%. Under current restrictions, this is limited to ±60 MLD,
leaving a shortfall of 130 MLD. Even with the transfer of 80 MLD from
Nooitgedagt, it leaves a shortfall of ±50 MLD. We are trying to manage this
shortfall daily, by balancing reservoirs and fluctuating flows into various
areas. This creates volatility in the system, which inevitably results in
further maintenance issues. These problems would largely be eliminated if the
load is reduced on the demand side, but to date our pleas to consumers to
reduce consumption have not had sufficient success.
KEEP CITY TAPS FROM RUNNING DRY
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DROUGHT EMERGENCY & MITIGATION PLAN
Considering the persisting drought, the Metro is strictly focusing on assisting and protecting the public.
Emergency intervention and mitigation work are undertaken and planned as a matter of urgency to ensure the supply of potable water to the City’s residents and businesses if one or more of the supply sources are depleted.
The drought intervention and mitigation team investigated the impact of the depletion of the western storage dam capacities and the implications to the communities if drought conditions prevail.
The NMBM Disaster Management Sub-Directorate, together with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, has compiled and submitted the reports required for the Head of the National Disaster Management Centre to classify the drought as a disaster. The classification allows for the implementation of contingency arrangements and other measures to deal with a disaster, as supported by the Disaster Management Act. The declaration of a state of disaster will then follow the classification of the disaster.
Targeted restrictions map. - Please click on the map to download the pdf version
Recent
rainfall in the local catchment areas has raised dam levels marginally since
reported 2 weeks ago:

You could save money by reducing your water consumption!
- If you reduce your monthly water consumption from 30 kilolitres to 20 kilolitres, your payment can drop from R1 586.4 to R696.09. This is a saving of R890.40!
- If you reduce your monthly water consumption from 20 kilolitres to 15 kilolitres, your payment can drop from R696.09 to R378.09. This is a saving of R318.00!
- If you reduce your monthly water consumption from 15 kilolitres to 10 kilolitres, your payment can drop from R378.09 to R219.09. This is a saving of R159.00!
- If you reduce your monthly water consumption from 10 kilolitres to 8 kilolitres, your payment can drop from R219.09 to R166.48. This is a saving of R52.61!
Every drop counts, but so does every rand. By reducing your water consumption, you WILL save money!
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has given four companies permission to supply non-potable water throughout the Metro in terms of Clause 26 (1) of the NMBM By-Laws and the General Authorisation Permit. This has been done to assist during times of water shortages.
Permits have been issued to the companies by the Department of Water and Sanitation. The Department has granted these companies permission to use their source of water as detailed in the approval and under the prevailing laws of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 Clause 3.
These permits grant the companies permission to supply water to residents and businesses in the Metro for non-potable use, such as the filling of swimming pools, car washes, high pressure cleaning services and domestic uses.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to buy non-potable water from the service providers below, as purchasing water from a company without a permit is a crime and residents will be held accountable for buying and selling water illegally.
- Toral Talati – 041 992 3226 / 061 494 4398
- Rehoboth Spring Water – 041 506 2442 / 082 367 6896
- Bay Water Supplies – 082 575 1791
- Water Delivery – 041 363 0311
COMPANIES PERMITTED TO SELL NON-POTABLE WATER TO ASSIST RESIDENTS IN TIME OF WATER SHORTAGES
TORAL TALATI:
041 992 3226 / 061 494 4398
REHOBOTH SPRING WATER:
041 506 2442 / 082 367 6896
BAY WATER SUPPLIES:
082 575 1791
WATER DELIVERY:
041 363 0311