The 7 Year Water Forecast: Restrictors, Rationing and Low Pressure

In the News Today: Xaba said the curtailment would allow for continued water availability to the city even during periods of below-average rainfall.

“The risk of not enforcing the abstraction limit is that, should a drought occur, there would not be sufficient water in the system for uMngeni-uThukela Water to continue providing the eThekwini municipality with a reliable water supply,” he said.

“However, if UUW implements the gradual reduction as planned, the water supply should remain stable, even with below-average rainfall. If there is below-average rainfall, any restrictions required would be more manageable.”

He maintained that factors such as rapid urbanisation, ageing infrastructure which causes water leaks, and illegal connections were some of the major… continue reading HERE.

The Daily Maverick says that this new “12-month-long” water rationing scheme in eThekwini could stretch out for seven years – unless the city makes some rapid progress in plugging its leaking pipelines and curbing the soaring demand for tap water.

While the city’s escalating water crisis is set to be relieved by the construction of a major new dam on the Umkhomazi River, that water will start flowing to the city only in 2032 at the earliest.

This emerged during a media briefing on 3 October 2024, when senior eThekwini Municipality officials outlined further details of the Durban water rationing and curtailment scheme that takes effect on 10 October.

Urging residents and businesses to use water sparingly to avoid even more serious water restrictions, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said…continue reading HERE.

Maybe we could learn something from across the pond:

Climate: Umhlanga experiences a humid subtropical climate, characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters.