Authorities in the drought-hit Chris Hani district municipality have introduced water restrictions in Queenstown after a sharp fall in dam levels.
The municipality has also shut down one of the town’s main dams after it was found the level had dropped below 30%.
Chris Hani becomes the second Eastern Cape district to implement water cuts. OR Tambo district was forced to initiate water restrictions after several of its dams in Nyandeni, Mhlontlo and King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) local municipalities began drying up due to the drought.
Chris Hani municipal spokeswoman Thobeka Mqamelo confirmed that a decision had been taken on Thursday last week to impose restrictions and water cuts in urban residential areas of Queenstown and its two townships of Mlungisi and Ezibeleni after water levels dropped at Bonkolo Dam.
“We have closed down Bonkolo Dam because water levels have dropped to around 27.5% as of December 18,” Mqamelo said.
She said the situation had been worsened since the area had not had any rain.
Mqamelo said in line with the restrictions, which came into effect on Monday, residents would be prohibited from watering gardens with hosepipes or a sprinkler system while those with swimming pools would not be allowed to fill them.
The district municipality was also engaging with carwashes to assess how many cars they could wash on any given day.
“Should these restrictions not be adhered to, the situation will worsen. They will be implemented until further notice,” she said.
Fines would be issued to transgressors, but the amount could not be established at the time of writing yesterday.
Queenstown’s central business district, industrial zones, hospitals and schools have been exempted from the cuts.
Mqamelo said the town, its suburbs and townships were now receiving water from the Down Dam in Whittlesea more than 30km outside Queenstown.
She said this has had a knock-on effect on the water flow to the plant, which was reduced by 112 litres a second due to the capacity of the pipes and the topography.
“The current supply is 237.8 litres a second. The plant requires 350 litres a second to produce sufficient clean water for Queenstown.”
Queenstown Civic and Ratepayers’ Association chairman Tokkie Daysel said the restrictions had been implemented late.
He also accused district municipal bosses of failing to communicate the decision properly.
The SA National Civic Organisation’s regional secretary, Mbuyiselo Ntsabo, said they were unhappy that authorities had imposed the decision without consulting all affected stakeholders.
He said residents had been bombarded with circulars announcing water cuts and restrictions.
Queenstown businessman Edric Russell, who uses a borehole, said he was concerned that the drop in water levels at Bonkolo Dam had not been spotted earlier by the authorities.
He was not convinced that there was a shortage of water in Queenstown, saying the only problem was that dams were not properly managed.
Mqamelo said the restrictions would be imposed until the situation improved.
Queenstown farmer Peter Prinsloo said government should assist farmers in winter as there would be a great need for their intervention. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Queenstown restricts water use
The municipality has also shut down one of the town’s main dams after it was found the level had dropped below 30%.
Chris Hani becomes the second Eastern Cape district to implement water cuts. OR Tambo district was forced to initiate water restrictions after several of its dams in Nyandeni, Mhlontlo and King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) local municipalities began drying up due to the drought.
Chris Hani municipal spokeswoman Thobeka Mqamelo confirmed that a decision had been taken on Thursday last week to impose restrictions and water cuts in urban residential areas of Queenstown and its two townships of Mlungisi and Ezibeleni after water levels dropped at Bonkolo Dam.
“We have closed down Bonkolo Dam because water levels have dropped to around 27.5% as of December 18,” Mqamelo said.
She said the situation had been worsened since the area had not had any rain.
Mqamelo said in line with the restrictions, which came into effect on Monday, residents would be prohibited from watering gardens with hosepipes or a sprinkler system while those with swimming pools would not be allowed to fill them.
The district municipality was also engaging with carwashes to assess how many cars they could wash on any given day.
“Should these restrictions not be adhered to, the situation will worsen. They will be implemented until further notice,” she said.
Fines would be issued to transgressors, but the amount could not be established at the time of writing yesterday.
Queenstown’s central business district, industrial zones, hospitals and schools have been exempted from the cuts.
Mqamelo said the town, its suburbs and townships were now receiving water from the Down Dam in Whittlesea more than 30km outside Queenstown.
She said this has had a knock-on effect on the water flow to the plant, which was reduced by 112 litres a second due to the capacity of the pipes and the topography.
“The current supply is 237.8 litres a second. The plant requires 350 litres a second to produce sufficient clean water for Queenstown.”
Queenstown Civic and Ratepayers’ Association chairman Tokkie Daysel said the restrictions had been implemented late.
He also accused district municipal bosses of failing to communicate the decision properly.
The SA National Civic Organisation’s regional secretary, Mbuyiselo Ntsabo, said they were unhappy that authorities had imposed the decision without consulting all affected stakeholders.
He said residents had been bombarded with circulars announcing water cuts and restrictions.
Queenstown businessman Edric Russell, who uses a borehole, said he was concerned that the drop in water levels at Bonkolo Dam had not been spotted earlier by the authorities.
He was not convinced that there was a shortage of water in Queenstown, saying the only problem was that dams were not properly managed.
Mqamelo said the restrictions would be imposed until the situation improved.
Queenstown farmer Peter Prinsloo said government should assist farmers in winter as there would be a great need for their intervention. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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