The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) has written to the self-styled “interim” Mayor, Cllr Tshonono Buyeye, requesting him to deliver a report on the Metro’s plan of action for when supply dams run dry.
On 20 July 2020 the dams supplying the Metro with water were at a combined 17.99% of capacity. It is now almost a certainty that the dams will run dry and won’t be able to supply the City with water.
Due to low dam levels water interruptions to the Western suburbs of the Metro have already been experienced.
Recent good rains in the Metro had little to no effect on the dams and the City might shortly be totally reliant on the Nooitgedacht Low Level Water Scheme for all water provision.
The City has not been upfront with residents as to what infrastructure has been built to ensure that water from Nooitgedacht can be reticulated to the Southern and Western suburbs in the event that supply from the dams run dry. In this regard, high-lying and peri-urban areas are a huge cause for concern.
Additionally, at full capacity Nooitgedacht can only provide 210 megalitres of water per day to the Metro.
The City’s daily water consumption currently stands at 298 megalitres per day. In spite of this, the Municipality has made no progress in reducing consumption to the required 250 megalitres per day.
The Coegakop Wellfield and Treatment Works will only be completed in 2022 and therefore does not provide a solution to the current crisis.
Cllr Buyeye must take Council and residents into his confidence and report back on how he and the ANC-led coalition of corruption government plan to save Nelson Mandela Bay from Day Zero.
The Covid-19 pandemic is sweeping through the Metro and during this time the provision of water and proper sanitation is of the utmost importance.
The DA will fight to save the lives of our people and to move Nelson Mandela Bay forward again.