A WATER dashboard that enables residents, businesses, and relevant stakeholders to get a common understanding of the state of the water system has been launched for eThekwini.
Residents in Montclair and Yellowwood Park have been severely affected by water shortages due to low water pressure in the area.
Also read: eThekwini clarifies meaning of water curtailment
According to a statement sent by eThekwini Municipality, the dashboard provides reliable and up-to-date information to allow water users to make informed decisions about their water usage. It also helps to keep people updated on government’s interventions to improve water security.
“Currently, the dashboard is hosted on the website of the Department of Water and Sanitation and is linked to eThekwini Municipality’s website. This is an initiative of the Platform for Water Secure eThekwini Working Group which was established by the Department of Water and Sanitation in collaboration with municipalities that are experiencing water shortages. It is supported by the 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG) at the World Bank,” eThekwini Municipality said in a statement.
The water dashboard will help residents to keep track of water shortages and repairs in their areas.
“The demand for water in eThekwini exceeds available supply and interventions to augment water supply, including the construction of the uMkhomazi Dam and reducing non-revenue water, are underway,” the statement read.
Also read: Governance experts appointed to help steer eThekwini
eThekwini Municipality implemented water curtailment
As part of proactive measures to avert water insecurity, water curtailment has been implemented throughout eThekwini Municipality.
The curtailment was implemented at the directive of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) who issued a notice to uMngeni-uThukela water Board to reduce the volume of water abstracted from the uMngeni system to their licenced volumes.
eThekwini Municipality is also implementing initiatives to reduce non-revenue water by attending to leaks, dealing with illegal connections, and prioritising the upgrading of water infrastructure.
However, the water challenge cannot be resolved by the government alone. Residents and businesses are urged to play a key role in implementing water saving initiatives on their properties.
The dashboard will be released monthly for the moment, and the aim is to improve it over time.
Residents are urged to email their opinions and suggestions to pwset@dws.gov.za.
The dashboard can be accessed on www.durban.gov.za on the tab for Water and Sanitation or www.dws.gov.za.
For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
