If it’s yellow let it mellow, and if it’s brown flush it down.
Yup you have guessed it – Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Bay are on the brink of water restrictions again.
The dam levels are currently at around 84%, consumption has crept up and the Department of Water Affairs issued a directive to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro on 1 July 2013 to immediately cut the amount of water drawn from our supply dams by 10%.
At a media briefing this morning officials from the Metro sent out a plea to residents to please assist by voluntarily cutting their water consumption by at least 10% in order to reach the targeted consumption of 250 megalitres per day. Should this targeted reduction in consumption not be reached and present low rainfall conditions persist then the presently available amount of water in our dams will be depleted within 18 months.
Since the cessation of the last drought in July 2011 the daily water consumption has crept up by 8.6% – attributable to the addition of nearly 10 000 new water points and people ‘slipping back into old habits’
The public are asked to:
- Report leaks and abuse to 0800 20 5050 or waterleaks@mandelametro.gov.za
- Detect leaks on your property by closing all taps and checking for movement of your water meter
- Reduce, repair, re-use and recycle
Be water smart:
- Close taps properly
- Flush toilets only when needed
- Use a glass to drink water – not from a tap
- Store drinking water in a container
- Don’t over fill buckets
- Use the correct amount of water for washing
- Only wash clothes and dishes when you have a full load
- Don’t rinse clothes or dishes under a running tap
- Install a rain water tank
- Share bath water
- Rather shower than bath
Report Water Leaks to: 041 505 2258 or 0800 20 5050
These businesses support MyPE:
MyPE supports PE business:
