UPDATE: KZN drought not yet a crisis
Raising of Goedertrouw Dam a possibility to address water crisis.
PHOTOS: LARRY BENTLEY
AT a media briefing in the build up to National Water Week, Department Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) KZN provincial chief director, Ashley Starkey said that the water crisis is being closely monitored.
He said it was not yet a crisis, but is critical and needs every water users’ cooperation to ensure a continued supply.
The under-utilised Pongolapoort Dam at Jozini will not be used to supplement the water supply to uMhlathuze in the near or long-term.
Starkey said the dam is needed for water reticulation in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality with uMhlabuyalingana and Jozini municipalities receiving priority.
Topography and distance are two factors which make the estimated 250km pipeline impractical.
He said the department is looking at alternatives, which includes the raising of the Goedertrouw Dam wall.
Other initiatives include the building of the Ntseleni Dam, the uThukela River / uMhlathuze River transfer scheme and an Mfolozi off-channel dam.
The raising of the Goedertrouw Dam wall is scheduled to be completed by 2021, the Ntseleni Dam by 2026, the transfer scheme by 2027 and the Mfolozi Dam by 2033.
eShowe water restrictions
The water restrictions announced on Saturday, 21 February by uThungulu District Municipal Manager MH Nkosi was also questioned.
The letter, signed on behalf of the municipal manager, was circulated by email and informed residents that ‘until further notice, water will be supplied as follows: Morning: from 04:00 to 08:00 and Afternoon/evening: from 16:00 to 20:00’.
This meant that, if implemented, the town would be without water from 8am to 4pm, causing an outcry by businesses who are planning a meeting to discuss the issue.
To date, the water has not been cut during the day, with residents becoming totally confused and believing that uThungulu do not know what they are doing.
The letter has been forwarded, by email, to Dudu Cebekhulu at uThungulu District Municipality for further comment.
According to Starkey, any water restrictions cannot be implemented without DWS being consulted and the proposed measures being published in the Government Gazette.
This includes water for irrigation, residential and industrial use.
He is not aware of this procedure being followed and the matter is being investigated.
He said the function of policing water restrictions is normally delegated to the local municipality for enforcement, but education and information programmes around water saving measures are usually implemented before enforcement is implemented.
