With the water level for eMalahleni standing on 39.9% according to the municipal manager, Mr Theo van Vuuren, residents are furious.
If you look closely you will see water flowing freely in more than one or two streets in the city and it is not only sewage water residents are complaining about.
More and more residents are complaining about fresh water leaking all around town.
The water flowing down Ackerman street for the last four months without any services from the local municipality.
Residents have had enough.
“The water leak running down the road has been here since the end of June and is still not fixed. I had to replace my gate motor just a few weeks back, as the fresh water flowing out this hole buggered it up. When people come to visit, they get stuck on my lawn,” a resident in Ackerman Street said.
WITBANK NEWS reported on the struggle of water shortage more than once.
“You know I reported a fresh water leak about two years ago here in Klarinet and still nothing has been done. Mr Ben Botes was still involved and the problem was given over to Mr van Vuuren and guess what? Still after three years, nothing,” Mr Willem Nortje said dispirited.
The residents of eMalahleni was given a notice from the municipality about water restrictions that includes fines.
“As Emalahleni Local Municipality (ELM) is experiencing a significant amount of stress for water supply. Witbank Dam is the main source of water supply and since March 2016 the dam level has been dropping towards the very low range. Due to change in weather seasons, the municipality has realised a significant increase in water consumptions resulting to low reservoir storage volumes and series of water outages.
ELM has therefore decided to issue stage two water restrictions which will be applicable to all water users within the jurisdiction of ELM. Restrictions applicable to all customers,” van Vuuren said on his Facebook page on October 30.
“Now we have all these restrictions because of Witbank Dam that does not have water anymore but just outside my yard, the dam is flowing down the street,” resident, Steven Swart said with humour.
In another area in town, Ben Fleur, Mr Karel Schutte showed a reporter how his water meter is leaking, for about two months and counting.
“Like the saying goes : little by little it will become more and with this little leak there is much more that already leaked out,” said Schutte.
Further van Vuuren stated the tariffs of fines that will be given to any resident not respecting the water restriction.
Water consumption penalties will be as follow:
Domestic Consumption – Steps Unit Cost per Kilolitre.
Step 1 (0 6 10.5 .20 35 50kl) Per kl R44.60.
Spot fines of up to R1 500 shall be issued to offenders. Repeat offenders could be summonsed and be liable for prosecution resulting in a fine of up to R10 000, or imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
For business and industries – Steps Unit Cost per Kilolitre.
Step 2 (>6 10.5 .20 35 50kl) Per kl R66.90.
Spot fines of up to R 3 000.00 shall be issued to offenders. Repeat offenders could be summonsed and be liable for prosecution resulting in a fine of up to R20 000, or imprisonment of up to six months – 12 months, or both.
The formalised car wash are regarded as business and will be billed as per above tariffs structure. However the informal ones are restricted from using hosepipes and if found by law enforcement they will be liable to spot fine as indicated.
For raw water (Industries) – Steps Unit Cost per Kilolitre.
Step 2 (>6 10.5 .20 35 50kl) Per kl R5.50.
Spot fines of up to R 3 000.00 shall be issued to offenders. Repeat offenders could be summonsed and be liable for prosecution resulting in a fine of up to R20 000, or imprisonment up to six months to 12 months, or both.
The above tariffs are only applicable to level two water restrictions, not necessarily replacing the normal tariffs approved by council
The free water allocation for indigent community remains free and is set at six kilolitres per domestic household. High consumptions shall be subjected to penalties as per the table above.
“This municipality of ours is out of their mind. I am reporting the waste of fresh water for almost four months now and the best of all is that the problem is from their side,” Ms Karen Venter a resident from ward 18 said angrily.
Van Vuuren concluded that,
“There are no penalties for consumers who don’t make additional water savings. However, the price of water will be increasing – especially for large domestic consumers. This means that you will pay more for the same amount of water used. This is necessary in order to encourage water savings. This will have very little effect on small consumers and water efficient households.”
As he said at the council meeting that was held on October 27, “the water shortage problem is noted.”
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