If you thought the fines for non-compliance with the Level 2 water restrictions were a joke, think again.
The City of Johannesburg made an announcement on more water restriction measures and related tariffs on 5 September and informed residents they will receive hefty fines if they do not comply with section 44(3) of the Water Services By-law.
From the date of this announcement, JMPD has issued a total of 139 notices, 41 citations and 52 fines to residents who were found not adhering to the city’s Level 2 water restrictions. Many of these offences were addressed after tip-offs from community members. The fines for non-adherence range between R1 000 and R1 500 per offence, and will be added to your utility bill at the end of the month.
With the Integrated Vaal River System’s water levels dropping below 60 per cent, the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation has given the city notice to reduce water usage by 15 per cent with immediate effect. Since this announcement, Rand Water has supplied 15 per cent less water to Johannesburg Water. Despite the 15 per cent restriction on all reservoirs across the city’s inflow, levels have been stable and no problems with storage have been encountered thus far.
All the measures taken by Johannesburg Water, JMPD and the City of Johannesburg have seen a reduction of an average of just three and a half per cent in domestic consumption – far below the required 15 per cent.
“Dam levels are still very low at our source (Integrated Vaal River System) and it is therefore important for all consumers to remain considerate of the water restrictions.
Johannesburg Water thanks all residents and visitors to the city who have heeded the call to save water, however we need to do more to avert a looming water supply shortage,” said Tidimalo Chuene, the Marketing and Communications Manager from Johannesburg Water.
Residents are reminded that Level 2 water restrictions prohibit the watering of gardens with hosepipes or sprinklers from 6am to 6pm. A bucket or watering-can may be used for this purpose during these times.
If you have a borehole, you should have a visible notice displayed on your gate or the outer wall of your property. It is said that, should an emergency arise regarding water shortages, the municipality will be in a position to use water from your borehole to address the situation. However, Tidimalo Chuene the Marketing and Communications Manager form Johannesburg Water says, “There are various options that our Water Demand Strategy is focusing on for both immediate and long term alternative supply, should our current source ( the Integrated Vaal River System) not be sufficient to meet priority consumption demand, including some of the current measures in place. There are however at this stage no plans to use household/ business boreholes. This is because the water quality will not comply with SANS 241 without further treatment. It is also not an ideal option considering that there might be a hydrological impact on the ground water table when large quantities are withdrawn. We will also need a Water Use License if large quantities of water are to be draw withdrawn.”
Johannesburg Water encourages residents to subscribe to their SMS notification service to receive alerts on planned and unplanned service interruptions. For more information and water saving tips go to their website, www.johannesburgwater.co.za.
Consumers are urged to continue reporting non-compliance with the water restrictions. This can be done by phoning the JMPD’s dedicated line on 011 758 9650.
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