El Nino threat prompts call to be water-wise

Residents are being urged by a water expert to start saving water – not just because of the current water woes but also for the possibility of a drought due to an expected prolonged El Nino this year.

WaterCAN’s Ferrial Adam said municipalities and government need to put in place tougher water restrictions.

Residents urged to save water ahead of El Nino risk

“We need more awareness around this, especially considering the hot summer we are expecting,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter if dams are full this year. If this is a prolonged El Nino, we could face a bigger disaster next year,” added Adam.

“Our systems are constrained. The infrastructure is damaged and fragile and as it gets hotter, reservoirs get emptier because half of them are leaking.”

Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya said on Tuesday significant progress has been made with the rehabilitation of water in Bronkhorstspruit.

But she added Tshwane’s bulk water supply report this week indicated the city’s bulk water network remains under pressure, especially in regions 1, 3, 4 and 6.

Tshwane’s bulk water network remains under pressure

“Garsfontein is maintaining improved storage, while Elardus Park and Eersterust are at healthy levels.

“However, Mamelodi R1 remains empty, Mamelodi R3 is critically low and Parkmore and Derdepoort continue to experience low storage levels,” she said.

Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said Magalies Water and the city continue to work closely to manage and respond to water supply challenges.

“The Wallmansthal reservoir, which supplies the Derdepark, Hoewes and Baviaanspoort reservoir systems, has experienced declining storage levels over the past week due to insufficient and inconsistent augmentation from the Roodeplaat water treatment plant,” he added.

Mashigo said this was due to high demand and system constraints on the city’s main system upstream, which is independent of the Magalies Water Wallmansthal WTW Supply3 water supply system.