A bitter blacklash has started against the handling of water restrictions in the area as the equally bitter drought starts to hurt ordinary residents.

Large parts of Dundee, Glencoe and Wasbank have experienced water supply disruptions lasting for over 14-hours and in some cases, the water has been off ‘for days’.

Umzinyathi District Municipality, who are responsible for water reticulation, lower the pressure in the early evenings in a bid to save water.  However, this only effects the higher altitude areas.  The lower areas are never cut off as water continues to flow via gravity feed.

“It is not fair… are we going to get a discount on our bill?  Why should we suffer while others do not know what it is like to go without water?,” said one Tandy Street resident.  Others have called for the water pressure to be rather lowered during the day, from 9am to 4pm.

“This will not hurt businesses as much as town – where most businesses are – continues to get water and this will not hurt them so much.  The most frustrating thing is to leave home without water and to comeback without water.”

There are also questions as to why more has not been done to curb the watering of gardens and limiting car washes.

Meanwhile, the latest drastic cuts have been blamed on an n electrical problem again at the Tayside Pump Station’

Nomonde Nzimakwe of Umzinyathi said in a statement that  ‘the high laying areas will first be affected. Water tankers have been dispatched to the known affected areas. A water tanker has been dispatched to the top arrears of Sithembile as there is no water in the concrete reservoir supplying this area due to the electrical problem experienced at the high lift pump station at Tayside. The situation normally takes a few days to normalise.

“The area of Burnside Road and Northfield Crescent that is supplied from the reservoir in Bloekom Street is also currently very low.

“This situation will arise when we have regular load shedding or electrical failure on the equipment. The situation normally takes between three -five days to recover as this is now the only raw water abstraction point we have. The media is well aware of the critical situation we are finding ourselves in due to the drought.
Today our water levels look better to an extent that all should have water.

“All consumers are urged to use water sparingly as the situation is very serious. Please cooperate by reporting all leaks and bursts to save water on 034-212 2222 or 086 167 8883. Be water wise and remember “Water is life, conserve it and respect it.”

Other residents have complained that water tankers only visit townships and/or informal settlements but never ‘town areas’.  In Glencoe, one resident said a tanker arrived at nearly midnight last week in her area but was already empty.