It’s official, Umgeni water restrictions have been lifted!

Water restrictions have been lifted in Waterloo, Verulam, Ottawa, Umdloti Beach, Sibaya Casino, La Mercy, Westbrook, Canelands, Ndwedwe, King Shaka Airport and the whole of Tongaat with immediate effect, announced Umgeni Water today.

Umgeni Water’s corporate stakeholder manager, Shami Harichunder, said following a risk analysis that discounted the possibility of dam failure in the foreseeable future, a decision has now been taken by the Joint Operations Committee that the normal operating rules can be reinstated as a result of the improved situation.

“There is, at this stage, adequate water to meet the demands of eThekwini Metro, Sembcorp Siza Water and iLembe District Municipality, at volumes that were provided before the onset of water shortages and implementation water restrictions,” said Harichunder.

As a result the bulk water supplier said that Sembcorp Siza Water (SSW) will also soon be lifting all water restrictions within in its water service area, which includes Zimbali and Ballito.

SSW could not be reached for comment to confirm this.

Umgeni Water thanked its customers for their proactive adherence to the water restrictions and for partnering with it in ensuring that water use was within the daily rationed quota.

The following will occur with immediate effect:

• All Drought Curtailment Targets will be withdrawn and normal water production will occur at Hazelmere Waterworks.

• The plant will revert to supplying volumes of potable water that will meet the full demands of its customers.

With immediate effect the following measures will be implemented by eThekwini Metro in the north of Durban:

• Restrictions will be immediately lifted in Waterloo, Verulam, Ottawa, Umdloti Beach, Sibaya Casino, La Mercy, Westbrook, Canelands, Ndwedwe, King Shaka Airport and the whole of Tongaat.

• Planned interruptions to water supply will cease as of September 1.

• Removal of individual water flow restrictors will begin.

 The worst drought in three decades

The past 30 months, persistent below-average rainfall was recorded at Hazelmere Dam and its catchments.

This trend, however, was not peculiar to the Hazelmere system.

The entire Umgeni Water operational area was enveloped by a drought that later developed into one of the worst in three decades as the El Nino phenomenon tightened its grip.

This resulted in major dams operated by Umgeni Water remaining at levels lower ever before.

The net effect was an inadequate amount of water to meet the normal demands of Umgeni Water’s customers in the Hazelmere supply area, eThekwini Metro, Sembcorp Siza Water and iLembe District Municipality.

In this deteriorating situation, normal operating rules had to be changed in order to accommodate water curtailment targets to prevent possible failure of Hazelmere Dam.

Failure occurs when a dam reaches dead storage, meaning all that remains is silt.

Umgeni Water and affected stakeholders established the Joint Operations Committee in September 2014 to monitor water resources in Hazelmere Dam and mitigate the risk of dam failure.

A decision was taken to begin the implementation of stepped reduction in potable water production and the implementation of water restrictions.

These measures began at 20% and were gradually increased in the midst of reducing levels of Hazelmere Dam, exacerbated by absence of rainfall and high temperatures.

All curtailments and restrictions were mandatory as they were gazetted by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

In July and August 2016, consistent with the El Nino effect, unseasonal rainfall was recorded at Hazelmere Dam.

It amounted to a total of approximately 180 mm. This resulted in the level of the dam rising steadily to its current 62%.

The gazetted restrictions for the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant supply area (north of eThekwini and parts of iLembe) that made these restrictions mandatory are to be amended by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

Harichunder said the recent rains and increased water availability have contributed significantly in assisting Umgeni Water, eThekwini Metro, iLembe District Municipality and Sembcorp Siza Water emerge from a difficult situation.

“A great deal of hardship and inconvenience were felt by consumers and providers of water services, but the strategies implemented were imperative to prevent large scale acute water shortages and the possibility of Hazelmere Dam drying up,” said Harichunder.

“We thank consumers – domestic, business, industry and government – for their tolerance and patience.

“Their ability to adapt to a changed situation is greatly admired and appreciated.”

“The drought and water shortages have also had a profound effect on Umgeni Water, eThekwini Metro, iLembe District Municipality and Sembcorp Siza Water.

“Water sales reduced significantly, resulting in a drop in revenue.

“In some instances, expensive emergency projects, among them transfer schemes and water recycling, have had to be implemented in order to augment resources.“

Harichunder said while production of potable water will gradually progress to pre-drought levels, constant monitoring of raw water resource availability by the Joint Operations Committee will continue.

If the level of Hazelmere Dam falls sharply and if spring and summer rains do not materialise, the issue of re-imposition of production cuts and accompanying restrictions will be examined again in order prevent a crisis situation occurring.

It is, therefore, important that consumers continue to use water sparingly and also report incidences of wastage and leaks to their municipality.

“This notice also serves as reminder that the water resource situation in the Mgeni system (Midmar, Albert Falls and Nagle dams) has not changed.

“The catchments of these dams continue to experience no or poor rainfall and they remain at low levels.”

“All of Pietermaritzburg, uMgungundlovu and most of Durban receive water from the Mgeni system. Umgeni Water will continue to reduce production of potable water by 15% below benchmark at water treatment plants within the Mgeni system.

“Similarly, water restrictions of 15% that are being applied by eThekwini Metro, uMungundlovu District Municipality and Msunduzi Local Municipality will remain in place.”

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