Water shortages
Some Makhanda residents without water for at least 6 days
The situation, which has been ongoing since 2019, seems to be getting more serious.
In September 2020, the municipality reported that it had experienced day zero, when taps were running dry and dam levels dipped below 19%.
Musa’s death last month further enflamed the mood among residents of Mandela Park township on the edge of QwaQwa in South Africa, turning intermittent protests over water shortages into a full-blown, week-long riot.
Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was speaking at the official launch of the national water and sanitation master plan.
It will spell out government's short, medium and long-term strategy to secure water security in the country.
The DA’s Mariette Pittaway said they expected the current supply from the Wilge River to run out in two weeks.
The utility said it would continue to monitor reservoir levels to help mitigate the effects of the stress on its system.
The rain comes as Gauteng residents have been urged to use water sparingly.
An Eyewitness News investigation has found that South Africa may not have water for all its citizens by 2030 due to poor infrastructure, mismanagement of funds, lack of accountability and low rainfall.
Residents had been warned to brace for limited water from Monday.
Water consumption has increased by 46 million litres per day to 587 million litres per day but that's below the Level 3 usage limit of 650 million litres.
Researchers are now worrying that the desalination's salty byproducts could wreak havoc on the ocean’s delicate ecosystems.
Many household owners say they now harvest rainwater for various purposes in and around the house.
Cape Town’s ongoing battle with drought-driven water shortages could become far more common, with over 650 million people in 500 cities - among them Sao Paulo and Tehran - likely to see their access to water reduced by 2050.
Authorities say the electric cable used to pump water out to consumers was stolen on Saturday.
The municipality's Environmental Management Department's Julia Wood says the high E. coli count is the result of a sewage spill.
The way in which we have been managing this resource and its services is clearly not a long-term solution.
The Department of Cooperative Governance says its primary focus now is to secure future water supply without being guided by a Day Zero forecast.
The village's taps have been dry for at least the last four months, despite the fact it is on the doorstep of the multi-million rand Nandoni Dam.