NEWCASTLE – The Newcastle Municipality has embarked on vigorous drought-awareness roadshows to intensify awareness regarding water scarcity because of the lack of significant rainfall.
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According to a press release from Doctor Dumisani Thabethe, municipal customer relations manager, the campaign will continue in all areas adversely affected by drought.
“We visited oSizweni and Newcastle taxi ranks, where the municipality engaged with communities,” he said.
In an effort to maximise knowledge on the drought, while simultaneously motivating customers to conserve water, stakeholder meetings with bulk water consumers, councillors and the community were held at Phelindaba Stadium in Madadeni, and Theku Plaza in oSizweni.
Comprehensive water-saving tips were also shared by the customer relations team.
The municipality closely monitors the water situation. “We are continuously engaging industries in an effort to solicit support from them,” Dr Thabethe said.
Water scarcity in the district is not a myth, but a reality, which requires all of us to heed the call of safeguarding every drop of available water.
The dam level has recently dropped further from 53,2 per cent to 52.7 per cent. “This shows that we are not at all doing well, taking into consideration that winter has just only begun and we are way far from the rainy period.”
The municipality intensified its efforts in dealing with all reported water leaks and further requests residents to continue reporting encountered water loss. In this regard there is an ongoing internal leak repair programme at oSizweni, Madadeni and Newcastle.
“The district’s water sources are currently under severe stress due to high demand and an appeal is made to residents to reduce water consumption patterns by 30 per cent as we may have to impose further stringent water restrictions across the district if the current consumption rate is not reduced. As a water services authority, we remain committed to the cause of ensuring that we supply our communities with clean drinking water, hence we call upon our residents to take heed to our noble call of using water sparingly to enable the municipality to fulfil its obligation of continuous water supply to our communities.”
The Newcastle Municipality encourages the community to forward water and sanitation-related queries, leaks and burst pipes and illegal water connections by phoning 0860144 144.
