Nooitgedacht water relief?

by | Aug 7, 2017 | Kouga Municipality

ARTICLE TAKEN FROM POST ON ATHOLL TROLLIP’s FACEBOOK PAGE

The recently completed Phase 2 of the Nooitgedagt Low Level Scheme has undergone a week of testing, and is now approved for ongoing supply to our City.

After two years of construction, this additional supply could not have come at a better time. An extra 140 million litres of water will now be pumped daily into the Municipality’s network, compensating for the drought-induced shortages at the Western supply dams.

Having already lost all supply from Churchill Dam, with Kouga Dam now at 15%, Nooitgedagt Phase 2 may very well carry the Municipality through the remaining months of winter. The Department of Water and Sanitation has imposed a 22% restriction on sourcing water from the western supply dams, limiting daily supply to 274.9 ML.

The Infrastructure & Engineering Directorate, led by MMC Annette Lovemore, has done well to meet targets in this regard, taking some of the sting out of the ongoing drought.

However, the Municipality remains water scarce with demand and supply still neck and neck. Our water saving efforts absolutely have to continue unabated – let us continue working together to instil a water wise culture in our Metro.

Not only is this government working tirelessly to increase water supply, but there is also a concerted effort to repair the City’s ageing infrastructure. Standby teams of plumbers have been working weekends over the last three months to drastically reduce the number of leaks.

Ref: https://web.facebook.com/AtholTrollip

Water restrictions now a reality

by | Dec 19, 2016 | St Francis

Save Water

At the the Kouga Council on Thursday the IMMEDIATE imposition of water restrictions across the Kouga region was approved with punitive tariffs to be implemented from 1 January 2017.

According to Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen, the following activities are prohibited under the restrictions:

  • The use of hosepipes, sprinklers and drip systems
  • The watering of gardens, lawns and grassed areas.
  • The washing of paved areas, walls, roofs, buildings and similar structures, vehicles or other equipment
  • The filling of swimming pools, paddling pools, fountains and ponds
  • The connection of a hosepipe or any form of irrigation system to a tap supplying water from the municipal water supply system, except for fire-fighting purposes.

Kouga Municipality receives the bulk of its water for domestic usage from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro thus the decision to impose water restrictions and punitive tariffs follows on a mandate received by Kouga from NMB Metro that water usage needs to be cut back by 15%.

Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen urges residents and holiday-makers to reduce water consumption with immediate effect

Due to falling levels in the dams supplying Kouga with water, all the towns in Kouga need to reduce water usage to ensure a continual supply throughout December. In particular water supply in upper Wavecrest, Jeffreys Bay, is under severe pressure due to over consumption.

Everyone’s co-operation is highly appreciated.

Save Water!

by | Dec 15, 2016 | St Francis

Water – Every drop counts

It is said that the next world war will be fought over water, or rather the lack of it. Following on from the article on water disruptions  in St Francis Today yesterday, it certainly is becoming an emotional issue and the subject of several discussions yesterday. It seems there is a belief by some that water restrictions have already been imposed on St Francis but this is not the case.

At her ‘100 days in office’ presentation to the DA at St Francis Bay Golf Club last month, Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen  stressed the need to save water and that Nelson Mandela Bay Water had advised Kouga Municipality to reduce water consumption by at least 15%. Our mayor explained that it was impossible to immediately ascertain what a 15% saving constituted, particularly as we are entering our holiday season and an obviously massive increase in water usage.

The Kouga council is meeting today to discuss matters relating to water and there can be little doubt that the subject of water restrictions will be on the table. We will have to wait thus for more clarity as to whether punitive measures will be put in place….. BUT!

Why do we need to wait for the ‘big stick’ to make us aware of the value of this precious resource? Surely the majority of us living, or holidaying in St Francis are educated enough to understand that we simply cannot live without water. We have already experienced the inconvenience of a stuttering electricity supply and we certainly don’t want a repeat where water is restricted to only a few hours a day or worse still, no water!.

Everybody can play their part. Put your hosepipe away in the garage so there is no temptation to use it and make sure your gardener knows not to use it. Lawns will survive even if they may turn a little brown for even the lightest rain or morning dew will sustain them. Yesterday a gardener was spotted using a hose to clean the windows at a house on the canals.  Not acceptable!

If you have a swimming pool there is a handy solution available (read http://aquarista.co.za/services/pool-backwash/) that will allow you to recycle the backwash. Not only will it save water it will save you money and make sure you cover the pool when not in use to reduce evaporation. There are so many ways to save water and if you need some fresh ideas search Google for “ways to save water”.

Sadly there is little we can do about the thousands of visitors who will no doubt consume huge amounts of water, some not caring as they won’t be picking up the water bill at the end of their stay but somehow we need to appeal to them to save water.  Hopefully St Francis Tourism will insert a :SAVE WATER” leaflet in the information pack  they give out to arriving holiday makers.

Every drop counts