Toti residents are requested not to stockpile water, as it will create additional demand on an already depleted supply.
That was the word from a special sitting of council on Friday, 11 March, where the worst drought South Africa has experienced since the 1980s formed the topic of a presentation by eThekwini’s Water and Sanitation head, Ednick Msweli.
“A national directive will be gazetted this month where both a 15% reduction in supply and usage will become mandatory across South Africa, in line with council’s earlier decision in eThekwini,” said ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge.
While a total of 47,000 water restrictors have been installed to the city’s northern areas that draw off Hazelmere Dam, a level of only 34,74% was recorded on Friday, 11 March.
In the period 9 February to 10 March, the level of the Spring Grove Dam dropped from 85,3% to 78,1 %, Mearns Weir dropped from 108,3 % to 51,6%, Midmar Dam, despite levels being raised by pumping water from Mooi River, dropped from 47,1% to 46,2%, Albert Falls Dam dropped from 37,8% to 36,7%, Nagle Dam dropped from 83,1% to 74,7% and Inanda Dam dropped from 80,2% to 78,7%.
“The Umgeni system, which draws from these dams to supply various areas, including eThekwini, has a failure to supply ration of one in 100 years – the reality is the one year could be the start of 2017, as without rain and drastic saving, dams will run dry at the end of this year,” said Cllr Beetge.
While desalination is one of the options being discussed to accommodate future demand, it is a long and expensive process, resulting in the cost of water rising to three times the current rate.
In addition to this, a R3.5-billion investment coupled to a five-year construction period will only render a supply of 150 megaliters per day (Ml/d). “This while the city’s current demand falls just short of 700 Ml/d,” said Cllr Beetge.
Despite several awareness initiatives, the overall demand for water across the city increased in January 2016 in comparison to the 12-month baseline demand.
“Amanzimtoti Water Treatment Works (AWTW) recorded a demand of 65,02 Ml/d – 4,21 Ml/d up from the historic demand of 60,81 Ml/d, or 13,33 Ml/d above the expected 51,69 Ml/d, accepting the implementation of a 15% reduction against the 12-month baseline. While AWTW was able to supply the demand by drawing off the Nungwane and Wiggins lines, it remains an unsustainable exercise.”
In addition to reducing pressure from either 500kpa or 300kpa to 150kpa in certain areas, the city is also in the process of contracting an additional 100 plumbers to assist with the installation of water restrictors at a cost of R300-million in an effort to force reduction where the demand isn’t decreased in line with expectation.
“The usage or demand of the 12 month period prior to council’s decision is calculated and averaged to determine the individual baseline for each household or meter, against which the 15% expected reduction is then calculated.
Should demand decrease in line with expectation, or weather patterns alter to the point where dams are again above 70%, council will not resort to water shedding.
However, should this become necessary, it will only be applied with knowledge and authorisation from the executive committee and after residents have been duly informed,” said Cllr Beetge.
