MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Cape Town may be the epicentre of the current potable water crisis, however, the problem is not exclusive to the Western Cape.
In the Eastern Cape, Nelson Mandela Bay warned that dam levels had dropped below the ‘critically low point of 40%’.
There are also level 1 restrictions in Johannesburg, Durban and other metropolitan areas.
South Africa, according to the Institute of Security Studies is coming off a historic drought. According to the South African Weather Service, 2015 was the driest year on record.
South Africans use a lot of water, on average 235 litres per person daily compared to a global average of 173 litres.
While the water crisis in Cape Town is making national headlines, supermarkets are, according to reports in the Argus limiting customers to a 100 litres per sale, which on average cost at least R300.
Photos are regularly published of people queuing for water, with questions being raised about the availability and accessibility of fresh water for the poor, the frail, elderly people and for domestic animals and wildlife.
Seeking answers to the dire water shortage, residents in Cape Town are casting their hopes far and wide.
Some are arguing that water from the desalination plant in Mossel Bay, currently not in use, might be worth investigating if an agreement could be struck with the Mossel Bay municipality to put the plant into production and supply Cape Town with water until their proposed supply comes to fruition and is sufficient.
Dam levels
Mossel Bay is in the beneficial position of having enough water in the surrounding dams for the current demand for fresh drinking water for residents in the greater Mossel Bay.
Farmers, though are much worse off as was recently reported.
On 5 February, the water levels at dams in the greater Mossel Bay area were reassuringly high.
The Wolwedans dam (87.93%) by far the largest dam is key to freshwater supplies.
In addition, Mossel Bay has access to water in the Klipheuwel dam (79.34%) and the Ernst Robertson dam (100.41%).
"The numbers are for the available surface water. Mossel Bay has the back up of two boreholes, one which is very strong, and a desalination plant capable of delivering 15 Ml per day.
"Mossel Bay is fortunate to be one of very few Western Cape towns that can offer residents, investors and tourists water surety," Mossel Bay municipal manager, Advocate Thys Giliomee said.
This, however, does not mean that water may be wasted.
The municipality urges residents to use water sparingly and to save at least 10% of their usual consumption.
Residents are reminded not to use clean tap water to wash their vehicles, hose down the windows or the paving of their homes.
Do not use an automatic sprinkler system during the hotter periods of the day, rather water gardens before 10:00 and after 18:00.
Where possible, use grey water in gardens to alleviate the demand for fresh water.
Read a related article: Let's donate water to Cape Town
'We bring you the latest Mossel Bay, Garden Route news'
