Nelspruit gets thirstier daily

2003-11-18 17:45

Sizwe samaYende

Nelspruit - The drought has forced a private water company contracted to provide water and waste services in and around Mpumalanga's capital of Nelspruit, to restrict water use by 20%.

The Greater Nelspruit Utility Company (Gnuc), which has a 30-year contract with the Mbombela municipality, has imposed the restrictions in its concession areas, which include Nelspruit, surrounding townships and rural tribal areas.

Gnuc senior commercial manager Harold Moeng said on Tuesday the company sought to ensure sustainable and equal distribution of water during the drought period.

"The drought is not yet over. The level of the Kwena Dam (which supplies Nelspruit and surrounding areas) is about 26%," he said.

Drawing of irrigation water from the Crocodile River had been cut by 84%.

He said farmers were allowed only 20 hours of irrigation a week.

Water shortages in the Mbombela municipal area have hit White River the hardest.

Borehole use banned

It does not fall in Gnuc's concession area and has had water restrictions since February this year.

Mbombela council authorities have totally banned the watering of gardens and parks, as well as the use of boreholes and hosepipes.

Delia Oosthuizen of Mbombela municipality said on Tuesday the ban on boreholes was to avoid the excessive use of groundwater, which could cause streams and rivers to dry up.

She warned that if there was not enough rain, the Longmere, Klipkopje and Witklip dams would be empty by the end of January.

The Longmere dam is only 31% full, Klipkopje has only 1.99% water and Witklip is 36% full.

Oosthuizen warned that if the drought continued and no additional water could be negotiated from the department of water affairs and forestry or the Sandrivier Irrigation Board, the municipal water network would be unable to feed White River, Nelspruit and Hazyview.

The proposed water-supply pipeline from Nelspruit to White River might no longer be a solution since the levels of the Kwena Dam and the Crocodile Rivers had also dropped.

- African Eye