Dry taps loom: Tshwane residents urged to conserve water

Residents of the capital are being warned to use water sparingly or run the risk of their taps running dry and being without water for longer periods.

City of Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo has called on residents to reduce daily water usage as much as possible.

“The city is continuing to experience an increase in water consumption which is likely to put consumers at risk of having no water for a longer period, as the levels of the city’s reservoirs drop extraordinarily from time to time,” he said.

Mashigo said the strain on the city’s reservoirs and Rand Water was enormous.

Call to use water sparingly

“This calls for communities across the city’s seven regions to use water sparingly, attend to their households’ leaks, report leaks that need the city’s attention and be vigilant against instances of vandalism to the water infrastructure,” he said.

Mashigo called on residents not to water or irrigate gardens with hosepipes or sprinkler systems between 6am and 6pm and not to wash cars or clean driveways using a hosepipe.

“Flush toilets only when necessary and close a running tap while brushing teeth,” he said.

Mashigo said residents were also not allowed to fill swimming pools from the municipal water supply.

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He added that manually topping up swimming pools was allowed if the swimming pool was fitted with a pool cover that preserved water.

TLU chair Bennie van Zyl said the frequent calls for water to be used sparingly were concerning.

Van Zyl said it was sad that we have policies in place to protect water, but they were not implemented.

“The maintenance of the infrastructure to distribute water and the pollution of water is a huge headache for us,” he said.

Be more mindful with water

Van Zyl said being told to use water sparingly each time there was a water shortage was not the solution.

Executive manager of WaterCAN Dr Ferrial Adam said people have to be more mindful with water to avoid running dry this summer.

“Over the past year, Gauteng has witnessed a disturbing increase in water challenges.

“These were marked by frequent shutdowns, water shedding and now water shifting.

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“This crisis has left numerous communities without water for days, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive solutions,” she said.

Adam said water shortages were looming due to a combination of climate change, the El Nino phenomenon and the fact that SA was a water-scarce country.

“Add to that infrastructure failure and we are heading for catastrophe,” she said.

Adam said water leakages also contributed and that cities like Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni routinely lose 30% to 34% of their water to leaks and losses, while Emfuleni experiences an alarming 71% loss.

Every drop matters

“At a time when every drop of water matters, we cannot allow negligence, poor excuses and grandstanding to get in the way of responsible water management.

“South Africa’s water leaks are not only an environmental crisis but also a testament to the lack of accountability that has gone unaddressed for far too long,” she said.