Residents of Ballito, on the North Coast, who are experiencing water shortages, have been urged to use water sparingly.
This appeal was made on Thursday by Sembcorp Siza Water and Umgeni Water in the wake of an unprecedented increase in demand on the Avondale reservoir.
The appeal was aimed at encouraging households and businesses in Ballito to conserve water to prevent the imposition of mandatory restrictions in future if the situation did not improve.
Umgeni Water spokesman, Shami Harichunder, said residents in certain parts of Ballito had been experiencing water shortages or low pressure, caused by increased water demand, since December 20.
Harichunder said the increased consumption from the previous day – estimated at 300 percent over the same period last year – had resulted in a sharp decrease in the level of the Avondale Reservoir.
Umgeni Water planned to upgrade the infrastructure by increasing the capacity of the treatment works and pipelines.
Work would begin in 2012.
“Water tankers will be deployed to provide households with supply during the affected periods,” said Harichunder.
He said it was likely that shortages would continue over the next two to three weeks until the demand reduced.
In October this year, Umgeni Water warned that massive industrial and residential development north of Durban and around King Shaka International Airport were putting pressure on the provision of water to these and other nearby areas.
Tabling Umgeni Water’s 2010/11 annual report in October, acting CEO Nica Gevers noted that demand was exceeding yield in the Umgeni system. This situation would prevail until 2013, when the Spring Grove Dam on the Mooi River would be commissioned.
Gevers said immediate action to alleviate possible water shortages included construction of the Spring Grove Dam and raising the wall of Hazelmere Dam.
To deal with the increasing demand in areas north of Durban, the utility was expediting completion of the Lower uThukela Bulk Water Supply System.
