The City of Tshwane has announced strict Level 1 water restrictions, warning residents and businesses of potential fines and water supply disconnections due to high consumption levels.
Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the City will impose fines, restrict water supply or disconnect water supply to consumers who do not comply with Level 1 water restrictions.
He called on all residents and businesses to reduce water consumption to save the city’s reservoirs from running dry.
Failure to reduce water consumption, according to the City, could result in water shortages and subsequent prolonged water supply interruptions.
Bokaba said: “The City of Tshwane has been cited as one of the high consuming metros in Gauteng. Rand Water pumps 80 million litres per day to Tshwane, which is 18% more than the city’s permitted limit.”
He said despite this over the limit water intake, the city is experiencing challenges with some of its reservoirs, due to the high level of water consumption..
In the past few weeks, he said, consumption by both businesses and households had increased significantly resulting in a steep decline of the city’s overall reservoir storage capacity.
“It is against this backdrop that the City of Tshwane has to comply with a request by the National Department of Water and Sanitation for municipalities in Gauteng to put in place tougher water restrictions and to ensure that they are enforced,”he said.
He reminded residents that the Level 1 water restrictions imposed previously in line with the water supply by-laws are still applicable
“The City of Tshwane will impose fines, restrict water supply or disconnect water supply to consumers who do not comply with the water restrictions,”he said.
According to him, restrictions are inevitable due to the level at which customers are consuming water.
“It must be emphasised that if the current customers’ consumption behaviour does not change, the city might have to adjust the water restrictions to level 2 or higher, which will have financial implications for consumers due to associated changes in water tariffs, and might also result in water supply interruptions,”he said.
In keeping with Level 1 water restrictions there must not be watering or irrigation of gardens with a hosepipe or sprinkler system between 06:00 and 18:00.
Customers must also not use a hosepipe to clean driveways or patios, wash vehicles with a hosepipe and fill up swimming pools or water features.
“The City urges all residents to make a concerted effort to reduce water usage by adhering to the level 1 water restrictions. Punitive measures will be imposed against transgressors,” Bokaba said.
Pretoria News
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