uMngeni-uThukela Water ordered to cut system demand by 12% by May 2027
The Department of Water and Sanitation has directed uMngeni-uThukela Water to reduce demand by 12% and comply with licensed abstraction limits by May 2027, amid concerns about declining storage and continued over-abstraction.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has ordered uMngeni-uThukela Water to decrease water extraction by 12% by May 2027, due to concerns over exceeding legal abstraction limits. This directive comes as El Niño conditions are predicted to potentially disrupt water supplies. The eThekwini Municipality, uMngeni-uThukela Water's largest customer, is primarily blamed for over-abstraction, as it uses more water than its allocation, with a significant portion classified as "non-revenue water."
Despite concessions, abstraction levels from the uMngeni Water Supply System continue to surpass authorized limits, raising risks to the system's sustainability and regional water security. The department has tasked uMngeni-uThukela Water with implementing a 12% demand reduction immediately, operating the Inanda Pump Station urgently, and submitting a detailed implementation plan within 30 days.
Failure to comply could result in regulatory action by the Pongola-Umzimkulu Catchment Management Agency.
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