Nelson Mandela Bay Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said the city’s dams face the possibility of running dry, while many reservoirs will naturally be starved of water due to the high demand. “With demand remaining around 280 megalitres per day , dry taps are inevitable as both the Kouga and Kromme systems serving the metro will run dry,” she said.
“Urgent refurbishment work is required at some of the critical pump stations, and procurement efforts must be intensified. It is critical that the dam capacity be stretched to the end of June, to pump Nooitgedacht water to KwaNobuhle and other areas served by Western dams.”Water consumption has remained consistently high in the metro over the past few months and has not come down despite numerous requests for residents and businesses to save water.
She cautioned that the metro’s water issues could also lead to the potential collapse of the sanitation system. Should no significant rains fall between now and the end of May, the repercussions for businesses and communities would be severe, she said.