El Nino threat prompts call to be water-wise

Residents are being warned to conserve water by water expert Ferrial Adam, not only due to current water shortages but also in anticipation of a potential drought caused by an anticipated prolonged El Nino this year. Adam believes that stricter water restrictions are necessary, along with increased public awareness of the issue, particularly as a hot summer is expected.

She emphasizes that even if dams are full this year, the city could face a more severe water crisis next year if an El Nino event occurs. Adam highlights that the city's water systems are already strained, with damaged and fragile infrastructure, which will only exacerbate the problem as temperatures rise and reservoirs become emptier, with half of them currently leaking.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya reported on Tuesday that significant progress has been made in rehabilitating water supplies in Bronkhorstspruit. However, she noted that Tshwane's bulk water supply network is still under pressure, especially in regions 1, 3, 4, and 6. Moya shared that Tshwane's bulk water network remains under pressure, with some areas like Mamelodi R1 completely empty, Mamelodi R3 critically low, and Parkmore and Derdepoort experiencing low storage levels.

Lindela Mashigo, a spokesperson for Tshwane, explained that Magalies Water and the city are working together to manage and address the water supply challenges. The Wallmansthal reservoir, which supplies water to Derdepark, Hoewes, and Baviaanspoort, has experienced declining storage levels over the past week due to insufficient water augmentation from the Roodeplaat water treatment plant.

This decline is attributed to high demand and system constraints on the city's main system, which is independent of the Magalies Water Wallmansthal WTW Supply3 water supply system. Mashigo stated that Magalies Water and the city continue to collaborate closely to manage and respond to these water supply challenges.