STARTING on October 10, eThekwini Municipality will introduce water restrictions set to last for the next 12 months.
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Mayor Cyril Xaba announced that the measure aims to curb excessive water consumption, which has been significantly outpacing supply. At a council meeting on September 30, Xaba pointed to rapid urbanisation, ageing infrastructure, and illegal water connections as key factors driving the high consumption. Over the past year, water usage in the metro has averaged 1 406 megalitres per day (Ml/d).
“To comply with uMngeni-uThukela Water Board’s water use licence, consumption must be reduced to 1 287.7 Ml/d, an 8.4% cut, or 118 Ml/d. This reduction is necessary for us to meet the licence conditions of 470 million cubic meters annually. As a result, the Department of Water and Sanitation has imposed water curtailment on the system,” said Xaba.
To achieve this, eThekwini will install water restrictors on all consumer meters and reduce pressure in the city’s water distribution network. Unmetered consumers will be metered, and illegal connections will be disconnected.
The municipality also plans to enhance its response to leaks and burst pipes by deploying ward-based plumbers. In cases where demand exceeds supply, water rationing will be enforced. Xaba stressed that all possible measures had been considered before resorting to water rationing.
“We are acting now to prevent a more severe crisis, where water from our sources becomes dangerously depleted,” he said.
Councillor André Beetge of the DA responded by welcoming efforts to reduce water consumption but raised concerns about the timing of the intervention. He questioned why the city waited for the Department of Water and Sanitation’s directive to reduce consumption by 118 Ml/d, considering the municipality has long faced water losses exceeding 55% due to inefficiencies in the reticulation system.
“Water-saving measures must target not just revenue-generating consumers but also focus on eradicating illegal connections. Standpipes should also be monitored and restricted to prevent further wastage,” said Beetge.
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