By the end of November last year York High School was the school that reduced its water consumption by the largest percentage and this year schools can win by cutting down on water consumption.Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said: “The most effective way to solve the current water shortage is to cut water consumption, and the most effective way to cut water consumption is to increase the price of water, especially for people who use excessive amounts of water.
“Although municipalities are generally not allowed to increase their water tariffs during a budget year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has authorised the implementation of emergency water tariffs for the coastal municipalities in the Eden district. This was in recognition of the deteriorating situation in the Eden district.”
Affected municipalities are Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Bitou, which see their populations doubling on average during the holiday season. It is expected that municipalities will introduce stepped water tariffs which will penalise heavier consumers.
Bredell also said the Water Affairs Department was introducing water restrictions for agricultural water users.
Although there has been some rainfall during the past fortnight, this has not alleviated the situation and catchment areas of rivers and dams in the region remain exceeding dry.
“There is no immediate relief in sight as the forecast for the next three months is for hot, dry weather,” Bredell said.
“The provincial government is actively assisting municipalities to implement sustainable solutions. The province mobilised R53-million in national emergencies funding for the Mossel Bay, George and Knysna municipalities.”
He said the provincial Disaster Management Centre was confident none of the towns would run dry during the festive season if locals and holidaymakers respected the water restrictions.
