By Staff Reporter
10/10/2016
The City of Tshwane says it has been left with no choice, but to implement intensified water restriction measures, failing which the city would be facing the prospect of taps running dry.
“It has become patently clear that some of our customers have failed to heed our humble request to use water sparingly and we now find ourselves in an untenable situation. “We have begun a process to implement technical interventions that would enable us to meet the 15% water reduction target set by the National Department of Water & Sanitation and Rand Water,” said Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Mr Solly Msimanga.
Subsequent to the implementation of the water restrictions in Tshwane, the City has rolled out a community plan to inform and to implore customers to use water sparingly and not to irrigate gardens with a hosepipe or sprinkler between 6am and 6pm (residents are only allowed to do so between 18h00 and 22h00), wash vehicles with hosepipes, only buckets to be used, filling of swimming pools, no irrigation of golf courses with municipal water, and not irrigation of municipal parks and road islands.
Mr Msimanga said the City will also intensify community awareness campaigns, implement the communication strategy and encourage the communities to name and shame offenders. Ward councillors are encouraged to urgently engage with their respective communities about these measures.
These interventions, under the theme “Thiba Komelelo” (stop the drought), have begun in earnest and include measure to throttle the water supply system by partially closing main water outlet valves at reservoirs, so that flow is restricted and reservoirs can maintain good levels.
The City will also throttle the main water network pipes to restrict flow, Implement scheduled water shedding, Install flow restrictors to high water consumers/users and reduce water pressures in low lying areas, where possible.
Water restriction will also apply to residential complexes and businesses (where pressure allows, restrict water supply to retirement villages, reinforce maintenance teams to curb pipe bursts and water leaks.
The City will also recruit more learners from Rand Water and National Department of Water and Sanitation to strengthen maintenance and war on leaks teams. Other measures will include creation of a forum to engage with Top 100 water users, create a dedicated telephone line at customer care to report water leaks and create an SMS line for reporting of water leaks and pipe bursts.
