Waste continues as Phala Muni announce water restrictions
The Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality sent out a notification this week stating that water restrictions will be in place as from November 30.
The restrictions are apparently due to the water usage exceeding the actual estimated demand by Lepele Northern Water and as a result the municipality will experience low water pressure and in some areas a water shortage.
In the notice issued on November 27, the municipality urges town and township residents to monitor the usage of water to not exceed 1 500 litres per day or about 45 000 litres per month.
Amidst all of this, there are still parks being irrigated and water pipes leaking all over town.
Furthermore, the Municipality’s notice states that failure to comply with the water restrictions will result in additional charges for extra water used as well as further restrictions.
It seems that the Municipality is oblivious to their own wasting and may once again only penalise law abiding citizens who will have to fork out more cash for using more water than what is allocated to them.
Residents outside of town will however also feel the pressure as water supply will only be at specified times:
Rural villages will receive water from 2pm-10am
Namakgale will receive water from 4am-10pm
Lulekani will receive water from 4am-10pm.
Watering of gardens are also restricted, Namakgale may only water gardens on Thursday, Lulekani on Tuesday and Town, Extension 1 and 6 on Monday, Extension 8 on Wednesday and Extension 2,3,4 and 7 on Thursday.
Further restrictions on the irrigation of gardens are that residents may only water their gardens once a week over a two hour period between 16:00 – 18:00.
Residents are however up in arms about these restrictions as they are not blind to the wastage of municipal water.
These restrictions and possible higher rates comes at a time when residents are still fighting the municipality on their Valuation Roll and property rates and taxes.
