WATER resources in Umgeni Water’s vast service are at this stage in a healthy state according to Corporate Stakeholder Manager, Umgeni Water, Shami Harichunder.
“This will come as good news at the start of the generally dry months (May to August) when rainfall is significantly below average or there is none.
It will also come as relief to municipalities that are currently providing water and water tanks in a mass Covid-19 combat campaign at high-density residential areas, among informal settlements,” he said.
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As water tanks are installed and motorised water tankers are despatched to more informal settlements in Durban and surrounding areas, demand for safe drinking water will inevitably increase.
“This expected increase will assist in initiatives of municipalities and the Department of Water and Sanitation to extend access to water for hand-washing, general improvement of environmental hygiene and domestic use.”
“Umgeni Water is preparing for a sustained increase in demand over the next four to five months. As an essential service provider, Umgeni Water continues to operate its water works and wastewater treatment plants during the lockdown.”
Adequate precautions and mitigation measures have been implemented to try to protect staff against coronavirus infection.
These measures include physical distancing in the workplace, tightening of measures to restrict visitors to water works and wastewater works and other sites, mandatory presence of only one-third of a plant?s or site’s staff complement during a shift and close monitoring and detection of known Covid-19 symptoms, if they occur.
Saving water is still important. Umgeni Water’s water works, wastewater treatment plants and ancillary functions, among them, laboratory services and potable and raw water sampling and testing, continue to function at optimum and the potable (drinking) water demands of its seven municipal customers are being met in full.
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On Friday, 22 May 2020, a virtual meeting of the Mgeni System Joint Operations Committee (JOC) took place to assess the status of water resources in the entire supply are of Umgeni Water.
“The outcome of the meeting was that current water resource availability is strong, meaning there is no risk of shortages or failures occurring in the short-term if no huge spikes or increases in demand occur,” Harichunder said.
“A powerful message that emerged from this meeting was: water conservation, sparing use of water and demand management are imperative to avoid shortages occurring in future. Therefore, an appeal is being made to all consumers to accept that water is not an infinite resource. Responsible use and prevention of wastage today will assist in ensuring that there is sufficient water available tomorrow and in the months ahead, or until the next good rains,” he said.
The current total amount of water available in the major Mgeni System is at 75, 47 per cent which is about 3, 5 per cent better than the amount that was available in 2019. This improvement is as a result of good rains that were received in the Mgeni System’s catchments.
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