Drought may last another year

Unlike most municipalities in KZN, Sembcorp Siza Water (SSW) has been proactive in fighting the drought.

A media drought tour last Thursday took journalists to different areas throughout the Ilembe district, showing them first-hand the extent of the drought and what each municipality was doing to survive.

Keeping an eye on weather predictions, low rainfall and falling dam and river levels, SSW foresaw an approaching water shortage and began implementing relief measures in late 2014.

From testing how they could convert waste water into drinking water a year ago, in November 2014, SSW can now convert waste water into drinking water and are ready to add it to the taps.

Shyam Misra, SSW managing director, said this was regarded as a one in 200 year drought and the SA Weather Service’s Kobus Olivier said normal rain was only expected in April 2016, at the beginning of the winter cycle.

“El Nino is expected to stay strong until April 2016 and then we are going into winter when there is not much rain anyway, so it could be another year before the drought is broken. Furthermore, we do not know what weather patterns will be like next summer,” said Olivier.

Hazelmere Dam is on 25 percent however Ilembe mayor, Welcome Mdabe cautioned that this was not a true reflection of the amount of water available as 15 percent of the dam holds only 10 percent water.

To date, SSW has drilled and commissioned eight boreholes to produce about 500,000 litres of water per day and at least two more boreholes will be commissioned by mid-December to raise borehole water production to 700 000 litres per day. Recycled water has been used since November 2014 to fill swimming pools, for construction (like the mega mall) and irrigation.

In June, more than 90 percent of the public voted in favour of receiving recycled water in their taps and from December SSW will blend recycled water into the network along with borehole water and Umgeni Water’s supply.

“The recycled and borehole water meet the SANS 241:2011 drinking water quality standards and is also independently verified by Talbot Laboratories,” said Misra. SSW currently produces four million litres of recycled water per day.

Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message with your name and surname to 061 718 4438.

Please read our WhatsApp broadcast list disclaimer.
Join us on BBM at 59015786
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.