NMBM warns of possible water cuts due to depleting water resources
Published: February 09, 2023<< BACK TO NEWS
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has warned of possible water cuts in various residential areas across the City due to the ongoing drought crisis which has worsened the City’s water resources output.
In an effort to supply residents with water, the Lorrie Water Treatment Works is producing an average of 51 Megalitres while the allocated restriction is 40 Megalitres per day. Due to this over abstraction the City will now need to take a decision to cut back to 40 Megalitres in the next three days. The western water sources are becoming depleted at an alarming rate with approximately under 150 days on the Kromme distribution system.
NMBM Executive Mayor, Cllr Retief Odendaal said: "Our engineers have updated us this morning that our sources are depleting at an alarming rate. If we do not decrease our consumption now, it is a mathematical certainty that we could run out of water by July 2023. This is a crisis that affects everyone, therefore we all need to work together to prevent this from happening. With no significant rainfall we might need to go on forced emergency supply for basic water. This entails cutting back residential reticulation supply and the use of collection points and Jojo tanks. This is the stark reality we are faced with.”
"We are pleading with all consumers to please reduce their consumption because our sources are not coping with the demand. The Gelvandale reservoir has taken a knock and is at 18% and it supplies a bigger zone into Zwide and New Brighton, but we are adjusting and monitoring.”
While the areas supplied by the Motherwell reservoir and Coega Kop are still getting water supply, the Chelsea reservoir is relatively low at 30% which could result in water disruptions in the areas supplied by the reservoir.
"The Lovemore Heights reservoir is very low at 21% and this can affect water into the Lovemore tanks. We will continue to monitor and adjust to get more water from Heather bank reservoir which is at 60%. High lying areas of Chris Hani in KwaNobuhle might still be experiencing low pressure due to the low reservoirs. We want a water sustainable city, therefore we need to change our mindset about our water consumption, ” Mayor Odendaal said.
Ends.
Issued by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communications Office.
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