eThekwini urged to halt restrictive water device installations amid supply curtailments

Durban — Ratepayers have called on the eThekwini Municipality to halt installations of restrictive water devices, and instead install meters at non-revenue locations and prioritise infrastructure repairs and upgrades to stop leaks and wastage.

They were reacting to the water supply curtailments which came into effect on Thursday and which will be implemented gradually over the next 12 months to ensure that the abstraction from the uMngeni water supply system is brought back down to the licensed volumes and maintained at this level.

The restrictions came about after the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) directed the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board to stop supplying “too much” water to the city.

This requires the municipality to reduce water use by 8%. The water authority was exceeding its authorised allowance by 8.4%. This, the department said, could lead to environmental and other complications.

The eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) condemned the municipality’s decision to install restrictive devices on water meters as part of the water curtailment programme.

The movement’s chairperson, Asad Gaffar called it a “short-sighted” approach. He said “this drastic measure” would have far-reaching consequences for residents, businesses, and the local economy.

It said installing restrictive devices on water meters would:

1. Reduce water pressure, affecting household appliances and fire-fighting capabilities.
2. Increase the risk of burst pipes due to fluctuating pressure.
3. Cause damage to plumbing systems, leading to costly repairs.
4. Inconvenience households, particularly the elderly, disabled, and families with young children.
5. Negatively affect businesses, especially those reliant on water, such as restaurants, hospitals and hotels.
6. Increase the financial burden on ratepayers, who will be forced to bear the costs of repairs and maintenance.
7. Create the potential for increased water waste due to leaky pipes and damaged infrastructure.
8. Cause harm to urban agriculture and gardening initiatives.

The body said the municipality should prioritise fixing leaks and upgrading infrastructure, implement efficient water management systems and promote water conservation education and incentives.

“We call for an immediate halt of the installation of restrictive devices and instead the city must install meters at non-revenue locations and prioritise infrastructure repairs and upgrades,” Gaffar said, accusing the municipality of trying to punish paying consumers who were not at fault.

“We anticipate that the flow of water in taps will go to a trickle system. Toilets won’t be able to flush and you might not be able to take showers. Cooking and hygiene will become a problem. Many who are aware of this are purchasing storage tanks, which will create another problem for the city,” Gaffar said.

The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA) chairperson, Ish Prahladh, said they were waiting for the confirmation date for when the restrictors would be installed.

“What water are they going to restrict when some suburbs in the north do not have a water supply? We have suggested that plumbers in each area must be utilised to ensure an immediate response to burst pipes,” Praladh said.

Head of the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit, Ednick Msweli, addressed concerns about day zero, a phrase coined when Cape Town experienced a drought in 2018, leading to empty dams.

“City officials asked whether we are heading to day zero. We are not. We are merely facing a reduction in the amount of water available. We have to make do with what we have,” Msweli said.

Areas with the highest losses would be targeted first. Msweli said the consumption of water in Durban was higher than it should be. From 268 litres per person, the number should be 173 litres.

City mayor Cyril Xaba said the risk of not enforcing the limits was that should a drought occur, there would not be sufficient water in the system to give the city a reliable water supply. However, if the water entity implements the gradual reduction as planned, the water supply should remain stable, even with below-average rainfall.

The bulk of the city’s water supply comes from the uMngeni-uThukela catchment. The average collection from the system over the past 12 months amounts to 1406.4Ml/d. However, the directive from the department requires the value to be reduced to 1287.7Ml/d, which is a reduction of 118Ml/d.

Some of the factors contributing to the high water usage include rapid urbanisation, ageing and leaky infrastructure, and illegal connections.

In ensuring that residents are not adversely affected, the city will be implementing the following interventions:

• Installation of restrictors in water meters to all consumers and pressure reduction in the reticulation network.
• Metering all unmetered consumers.
• Improved turnaround time in repairing leaks and pipe bursts through deployment of ward-based plumbers.
• Community education in water conservation.
• Disconnection of illegal connections.
• Water rationing where demand is too high or exceeds available supply.

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