Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms. Nomvula Mokonyane, has urged South Africans to respect water restrictions currently being applied across the country as a way of playing a role in the fight against the effects of the drought. She mentioned this today, 8 September 2016, during an Inter-Ministerial Task Team media briefing held in parliament.
A total of nine out of twelve water supply systems are applying water restrictions with the main aim of managing water supply and distribution from the source to ensure continuous water availability.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has recorded a significant drop in the country's water storage quantity/dam levels despite recent rainfalls and floods in some parts of the country. This has led to the assessment of water security in relation to the users that are served by large regional water supply schemes comprising of major dams and large bulk infrastructure networks.
The imposition of water restrictions has been taking place in a number of provinces, and most recently in the Gauteng Province.
Minister Mokonyane also highlighted that the department is looking at improving the design of water infrastructure to ensure it adapts to unfavourable climatic conditions. She further urged citizens to never overexploit but to manage the little water at our disposal, advising that if this is done the country will be best equipped to manage the effects of the drought.
"Most of the interventions don't usually require money, but behavioural change", Minister Mokonyane said.
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