Question to the Minister of Water and Sanitation - NW2694

21 December 2016 - NW2694

Purdon, Mr RK to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation

(1)With reference to the critical drought that is severely affecting major parts of the Republic, (a) which of the country’s major storage dams are currently under 35% capacity in each province and (b) what measures has her department put in place to urgently conserve the water in the specified dams; (2) whether each municipality affected by the dams is implementing stringent measures to conserve water; if not, (a) why not and (b) what steps will she take in this regard; if so, (i) did the specified municipalities receive direction from the Government and (ii) what are the further relevant details in this regard?

Source
Link

Reply:

(1)(a) Refer to Annexure A for the list of the country's major dams that are below 35%.

(1)(b) My Department develops annual operating rules which include drought restrictions rules. These are communicated to stakeholders at the System Operations Forums. In addition Joint Operations Committees are established to monitor progress on the implementation of water restrictions and advice provided on further interventions where necessary e.g installation of flow restrictors at household level or supply through water tankers, drilling of boreholes etc. Further details are given in the table and section 2 of the response below.

(2)(a) Yes. Most of the municipalities are implementing measures to conserve water and there is already a reduction in demand. The measures include:

Restrictors on the bulk meters and the reticulation meters, some municipalities are also restricting consumer meters;
Pressure Management;
Education and awareness;
Water rationing;
Monitoring Minimum Night Flows;
Active and passive leakage control, etc.

(2)(b) As mentioned in (a) above, most of the municipalities are already implementing Water Conservation and Water Demand Management measures, for those that are not yet implementing. It is mainly due to lack of human and financial capacity. The Department will continue engaging municipalities through the established structures and the municipalities must actively participate and report in this meetings and prioritize resources and budgets to implement Water Conservation and Water Demand Management.

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Annexure A

Table1: Country’s Major Storage Dams below 35%

Provinces: Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, North West & Northern Cape

Reservoir Name	Full Supply Capacity in 106 m3	%	Municipality supplied	Measures	Implementation
Free State
Bloemhof	1 240	20.4	Lekwa-Teemane Municipality Bloemhof, Kuruman,	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 12/08/16 (No 40203)	Restrictions for Domestic @15%andIrrigation @ 20% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to monitor achievement of restrictions Joint Operations Committee (JOC) formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last SOF held on 1 December 2016
Kalkfontein	325	3.7	Kopanong Municipality (Koffiefontein, Jacobsdal, Jagersfontein and Fauresmith)	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF Restrictions gazetted on 19/02/16 (No 39718)	Restrictions for Domestic @ 40%&Irrigation @100% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to monitor achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 29 November 2016
Allemanskraal	174	14.0	Masilonyana and Tswelopele Municipality (Brandfort, Bultfontein, Theunissen and Virginia)	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF Restrictions gazetted on 12/08/16 (No 40203)	Restrictions for Domestic: 40%Irrigation 92% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to monitor achievement of restrictions. JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions. -Last Forum held on 1 December 2016
Rustfontein	71	25.5	Mangaung Metropolitan	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF Part of Bloemfontein System. Restrictions gazetted on 12/02/16 No 39679.	Restrictions for Domestic: 30%Irrigation: 75% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to monitor achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions. Last SOF held on 29 November 2016
Krugersdrift	71	26.0	Ikgomotseng and Soutpan	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 19/02/16: No 39718	Restrictions forDomestic: 20%Irrigation: 50% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to monitor achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last SOF held on 29 November 2016
KwaZulu Natal
Goedertrouw	301	19.5	Umhlathuze, Umlalazi, Uthungulu	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 24/03/16, No 39860:	Restrictions for Domestic: 40%Irrigation: 80% Industrial: 15%are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last SOFs held on 12 July 2016
Albert Falls	288	27.3	Umgugundlovu, Ethekwini Metropolitan	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Part of the Umgeni system Restrictions published on 24/03/16 (No 39860)	Part of the Umgeni Water Supply System which is currently at 47,6% and -Restrictions for Domestic: 15% Irrigation: 50%Industrial: 15%are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last SOF was held on 17 June 2016 as part of Mgeni SOF.
Mpumalanga
Kwena	158	23.9	Ehlanzeni	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Part of the Crocodile System. Restriction notices issued by Inkomati/Usuthu Catchment Management Agency. (Compliance not known yet)	Restrictions for Domestic, irrigation are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Committee held on 2 November 2016 as part of the CROCOC
Driekoppies	250	20.5	Nkomazi	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the Komati Joint Operations Forum. Part of the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) Restriction notices were issued. (Compliance not yet known)	Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC established to give direction to municipalities on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 17 November 2016 as part of KOBWA
Limpopo
Middel-Letaba	171	16.3	Mopani Municipality	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 16/09/16 (No 1066)	Restrictions for Domestic 20%Irrigation 80% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions. JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 29 April 2016 as part of the Shingwedzi CMF
Tzaneen	156	13.2	Mopani Municipality	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 16/09/16 (No 1066)	Restrictions for Domestic @ 20%& Irrigation @ 70% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions. Last Forum held on 25 October 2016
Nzhelele	51	8.6	Thulamela	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 16/09/16 (No. 1066)	Restrictions for Irrigation: 40% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 21 April 2016
Flag Boshielo	185	17.7	Polokwane Metro	Part of the Polokwane System. Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 16/09/16, ( No 40284)	Restrictions for Domestic: 30%Mining: 55% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC to be established to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 25 May 2016
Rhenosterkop	204	16.3	Nkangala DM	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 16/09/16 (No. 1066)	Restrictions for Irrigation: 60%-70%(Depending on rainfall) are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 20th April 2016

Eastern Cape
Darlington	180	18.2	Nelson Mandela Metro	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Receiving water from the Orange River System: Restrictions published on 26/08/16 (No.40229) The Dam is operated below 45% for Dam safety reasons	Restrictions of 15% on all transfers form the Orange River System are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions and communication is on-going to align information Last Forum held on 20 September 2016
North West
Molatedi	200	25.2	Moses kotane	Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF. Restrictions gazetted on 14/10/16 (No. 40346)	Restrictions on Domestic @50%& Irrigation @75% are being implemented Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions JOC formed to give direction to municipality on implementing the restrictions Last Forum held on 16 August 2016 as part of the Marico CMF

Northern Cape

Reservoir

Name

Full Supply Capacity in 106 m3

Municipality supplied

Measures

Implementation

Spitskop

9.2

Mmamusa Municipality SchweizerReneke

Drought Operating Rule determined and communicated at the SOF.

30% restrictions on irrigation recommended. Achievement not yet visible

Restrictions on irrigation are being implemented

Early Warning systems established to measure achievement of restrictions

Last Forum held on 07 September 2016

Source file

RNW2694-161221.docx

21 December 2016 - NW2694

Purdon, Mr RK to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation

Reply:

Source file

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