“Residents are reminded that, if water demand is not reduced to acceptable levels, stricter water restrictions might be implemented again,” said councillor Nico de Jager.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environmental and Infrastructure Services said in a press release that the demand for water in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is currently increasing at an alarming rate. “As we head into summer, all indications are that Gauteng and the City of Johannesburg will only receive decent rainfall by January next year. Coupled with the high temperatures experienced at the moment, Johannesburg Water (JW) is urging residents to use water wisely and reduce their demand,” he said.
He added that JW is doing everything in its power to implement Water Demand Management Initiatives such as replacement of main water pipes, pressure management as well as active and passive leakage control, but if residents do not play their part in reducing consumption, the bulk infrastructure will not be able to cope in supplying the required water demand.
“The CoJ wants to prevent the possibility of implementing stricter water restrictions, which might just be the case if the water demand is not reduced,” the MMC said.
Residents are reminded of the CoJ’s by-laws, which state that hosepipes may not be used to water gardens between 6 pm and 6 am, and no hard surfaces may be hosed down with drinking water.
“CoJ further reminds residents that, if demand is not reduced to acceptable levels, JW will start with the process of increased pressure management, involving the reduction of supply in reticulation – similar to what was done during last year’s restrictions,” he said. He also said that, if consumption still stays high, Level 2 water restrictions, including the water demand management tariff, where customers using more than 20 kilolitres per month, will also be implemented again.
Some water saving tips, as obtained from JW’s website, include:
• Do not leave taps dripping.
• Do not use hosepipes to wash your cars or to clean paved areas and driveways.
• Close the tap or use a mug when brushing your teeth.
• Store drinking water in a bottle in the refrigerator instead of turning a tap on each time you want to drink.
• Shorten your shower as much as possible.
• Fix all leaks in the house.
• Wash vegetables and fruits in a bowl rather than under a running tap.
• Re-use water to water your garden or pot plants.
• Report all significant water losses such as broken pipes, leaking water meters, open hydrants and leaks in the streets to 011 375 5555/ 0860 562 874, SMS 082 653 2143 or visit www .johannesburgwater.co.za.
The MMC concluded by saying, “We are confident that the residents of Johannesburg will work with us to reduce demand during these warm rainless months, to ensure that there are no drastic water restrictions and that there will be water available for the future.”
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