Water supply challenges: Demand outstripping supply
26 September 2021
Rand Water has over the years communicated with its customers the need to reduce consumption and water wastages. The hot summer months present a persisting challenge where usage of water goes up due to behavioural pattern inconsistent with the country’s water scarcity. It is a fact that South Africa is ranked as one of the driest countries in the world. However, South Africa continues to be amongst the highest consumers of potable (clean) water despite the limited availability of this precious resource.
The above factors inevitably put strain in the water systems, including that of Rand Water. Rand Water has since implemented Stage 1 of water curtailments in an efforts to slow the high consumption levels. The consumption of water takes place within the reticulation system of the Municipalities and as such, Rand Water’s efforts will amount to zero if consumers do not change their consumption patterns. It is on these bases that Rand Water hereby urges our communities to use water sparingly and begin to change the behavioural patterns in order to reduce the consumption of water. It is important to understand that high consumption of water in a water scarce country is unsustainable and every effort has to made to use water wisely.
In order to assist these strained water systems, Rand Water implores the Municipalities to immediately attend to the leaks in their reticulation systems and manage the night flows through reservoir management protocols. In addition, Rand Water would also wish to urge the communities to reduce water consumption in order to save water. The following tips can assist towards this effort:
Do not irrigate your gardens during this peak consumption period, i.e. From the 20th till 30th September 2021.
Do not fill up your swimming pool during this peak consumption period, i.e. From the 20th till 30th September 2021.
Do not wash your car with a hose pipe, rather use a bucket
Report any leaks immediately to your Municipality
Repair your leaking taps, toilets within the household
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
Turn off the water while shaving
Where possible, take a shower as opposed to bathing
Do not fill your pool during peak consumption hours, i.e. Between 6 AM and 7 PM
Rand Water further urges the Municipalities to invoke their bylaws to ensure that some of the above water saving tips are enforced. The above water saving tips are by no means exhaustive. Communities are urged to be self-aware whenever using water. The ultimate goal is to change behaviours when using water and only through this self-awareness can we reduce our high consumption patterns and contribute towards the broader mission of conserving what we have.
SAVE WATER – WE ARE RUNNING OUT!
Issued by Justice Mohale on behalf of Rand Water, 26 September 2021
