There is only 175 days’ worth of water left in the dams supplying the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and emergency plans are being compiled.
A total of R114 million from various departments will be moved to the Metro's Water Services Directorate to repair a section of the crumbling water infrastructure.
This follows the adoption of the NMBM's 2022/2023 adjustment budget. The EFF is the only party that voted against the adjustment budget.
The largest portion of the funds now allocated to the Water Services Directorate comes from the Department of Safety and Security (R36,8 million) and the Sanitation Directorate (R49,7 million). These additional funds will be used to overcome water shortages amid the ongoing drought.
According to the 2021/22 annual report, the Metro has a maintenance and repair backlog of R647 million as regards water infrastructure.
A sharp decrease in the collection rate for water consumption, which stood at 60% in January, had a great impact on the adjustment budget.
In January 2023, there was a backlog of 8 000 water leakages, but in February, it had decreased to 5 000 and at present, there are only 1 971 leakages that still need to be repaired.
Approximately 700 new water leakages are reported daily.
With the bigger budget earmarked for water services, water leakages will be repaired much quicker.
The Metro Council also adopted a turnaround action plan, which includes a promise to improve cooperation with communities to drastically reduce water consumption and follow a water-saving lifestyle.
The plan is seen as a strong indication of what lengths the Council is willing to go to in addressing the water crisis.
Achieving this goal requires cooperation from all councillors.
The action plan, furthermore, entails that the Municipality must work with the city support programme of the national Department of Water and Sanitation and National Treasury (NT) to revise supplementary plans and develop a resilience strategy.
In addition, the Metro will revise its construction policy to include water-saving measures and create a new strategy compelling developers to make use of grey water in their construction projects and not municipal water.
It is a stringent adjustment budget, but the coalition government, of which the FF Plus is part, will make it work for the benefit of all NMBM residents.
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