In response to the escalating demand for water, Tshwane and Rand Water are taking urgent steps to safeguard the water infrastructure and ensure a steady supply to residents and businesses. The heightened demand has strained the water systems, necessitating swift and coordinated action to prevent damage to the infrastructure.
Collaborative Efforts to Secure Water Supply
During a recent intervention meeting convened by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, along with deputy ministers David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, a consensus was reached on the immediate and urgent implementation of water conservation and demand management mechanisms. The objective is to foster the sustainable provision of water in the affected regions.
🚨JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT🚨
Rand Water and the City of Tshwane partnership to ensure consistent water supply in the city.@DWS_RSA @CityTshwane @CilliersB @SiphoMosai #RandWater #RW120YearsofExcellence #RWWaterConservation #ReduceConsumption #WaterDemand [NS] pic.twitter.com/4qQHypx8Gl— Rand Water (@Rand_Water) September 7, 2023
Mchunu has mandated a technical team, comprising Mahlobo, Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink, and Rand Water board chairperson Ramateu Monyokolo, to formulate a robust plan to address the prevailing issues and report back to him. This collaborative approach aims to find a common solution to the water problems plaguing the metro area.
Interim Measures to Stabilize Water Supply
In a bid to stabilize the water supply, the metro and Rand Water have resolved to augment the water volume in key holding reservoirs.
“This will help to ensure that water supply remains consistent, despite the increased consumption and it is a practical and necessary step to ensure that water is available to residents and businesses in the city and that the supply systems are not overburdened,” the parties articulated in a joint statement.
Starting from the night of September 5, several measures have been put into effect, including regulating outlet flows from primary holding reservoirs and redistributing water from healthier systems to high consumption areas. These strategies will undergo daily reviews, with adjustments made according to the patterns of water consumption.
Technical Team to Oversee Coordination and Implementation
To facilitate seamless and integrated coordination, the technical team will convene daily during this peak season. Their mandate includes sharing updates on the state of the water supply systems and demand, and crafting comprehensive strategies to surmount the water supply hurdles.
Moreover, the team is tasked with spearheading water conservation campaigns and rallying communities to adopt water-saving practices. This might entail imposing necessary restrictions to foster responsible water usage.
“Furthermore, Tshwane and Rand Water have committed to jointly strengthen communication with all stakeholders and members of the public to serve residents better and efficiently,” read the statement, emphasizing a steadfast commitment to ensuring a sustainable and high-quality water supply.
Call for Responsible Water Usage
As part of the initiative to foster water conservation, both Tshwane and Rand Water are urging residents to adopt the following water-saving habits:
- Avoid leaving taps dripping.
- Utilize grey water to wash cars on the grass, thereby watering the lawn simultaneously.
- Reduce shower time and use a glass of water for rinsing while brushing teeth.
- Reuse grey water for gardening purposes.
- Promptly repair all leaky plumbing fixtures and report any water pipe leaks to the metro.
The areas that experienced a surge in demand on the night of September 5 included Klipfontein, Brakfontein, Hartebeeshoek, and Bronberg. It is hoped that through collaborative efforts and responsible water usage by the residents, the water supply challenges can be effectively mitigated.
