Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Standing Committee Chairperson for Infrastructure, Engineering, Electricity and Energy Andile Mfunda has urged residents to conserve water consumption as dam levels are only expected to increase slightly due to a lack of persistent rain in the catchment areas.
“Over the last two days the dam levels have only increased by ½ percent.
“This invariably means that consumption levels must be urgently reduced as analysis would like to suggest that water stored in our dams will be depleted within 18 months if the current consumption patterns persist and no significant inflow into the dams occurs over this period.
“The present consumption is 270 Ml/day and could exceed 300 Ml/day during the summer months like what happened in January/February this year.
“In order to preserve our resources we need to reduce our consumption to 250 Ml/day as was done during the previous drought,” Mfunda said.
During the analysis for the 2014/15 water year it became evident that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has over-abstracted water resources during the previous water year.
Councillor Mfunda said: “The increase in water usage can be attributed to the growth in the improved services that the poor is receiving (more than 75 000 houses have been built since 1994), but also the fact that the good water conservation habits during the last drought have been forgotten”.
Levels of major storage dams measured on Monday, 29 September 2014:
- Kouga: 83.12% – 104 658 Ml
- Churchill: 58.24% – 20 525 Ml
- Impofu: 73.45% – 77 683 Ml
- Loerie: 47.49% – 1 437 Ml
- Groendal: 99.59% – 11 592 Ml
- Average all: 76.67% of total combined capacity – 215 895 Ml.
Based on the analysis the Department of Water Services restricted the water supply to the Municipality by 10% of its annual water allocation, effective from 1 July this year. The fact that the dams are more than 76% full is misleading because there is not sufficient water to sustain us over the next 12 – 24 months.
“We are leading the way when it comes to water conservation and request the community to follow our example and together we will prosper.
“The Metro is embarking on an aggressive leak detection programme which has resulted in a reduction of water losses.
“Community based semi-skilled artisans are used to repair leaks at indigent households going beyond just water conservation as skills are development and people given an opportunity to improve their lives.
“The Metro facilitated plumbing repairs at 20 schools thereby preventing significant water wastage. We need more to continue with this excellent project,” Mfunda said.
Related:
- 7 March 2012 – http://mype.co.za/new/just-how-much-water-is-lost-between-dam-and-tap/11968/2012/03
- 19 October 2013 – http://mype.co.za/new/over-25-of-our-water-is-lost-due-to-leaks-before-the-consumers-tap/30036/2013/10
NMB Communications
Latest posts by NMB Communications (see all)
- Join The Celebration - 26 February 2025
- 6 Municipal Employees Supended - 15 January 2025
- Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Plant Work Progressing Well - 10 January 2025
- Kliprand Protest Brings Action - 7 January 2025
- Mayor Tells Us Why We Had a Successful Festive Season in Nelson Mandela Bay - 6 January 2025
I’m happy to see that finally some of the leaks in Uitenhage including a huge one at the pump station in Verwoerd Drive are or have been repaired, albeit some to not properly. It’s unbelievable to think that the ‘Metro’ had allowed some of these leaks to continue flowing at will for more than 18 months. I shudder to think how much LIFE GIVING WATER flowed away and continues to do so from unrepaired leaks. Then there is the cost maintaining/running our dams and treatment works which is wasted with every drop of water leaked, i.e. the staff who man these facilities 24hr a day, the electricity to run the pumps and treatment works, the chemicals, fuel, vehicles etc. etc. It’s high time that this ‘Metro’ and its staff who are employed to provide a service and maintain our infrastructure do so!! If not they should be held accountable as would be the case in any private sector business. On the flip side there are however Metro residents who waste water and or don’t pay for the service. They should also be brought in-line. EVERYONE in our Metro has to be on board to make this work.