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George – How will the stricter water restrictions affect your household?

The George Council last week tabled stricter water restrictions for George to curb the excess use of potable water (treated drinking water). Residents have been requested to provide their inputs on the proposed Water Restrictions before 12 December 2022. These restrictions are specific to the George city area, and not Uniondale and Haarlem.

What are the new proposed restrictions and how will they affect your household? In short, the most important differences to the current restriction to take note of are:

  1. Every household is now limited to using 15 kilolitres of water per month. Emergency tariffs will be charged for any household which uses more than 15kl.
  2. Businesses dependent on municipal water, including commercial car washes must reduce their use of water by 15% of their past 6-month average.
  3. Large industry must reduce their use of municipal water by 10% of their past 6-month average.
  4. Gardens can be watered any time of the day but only with watering cans or buckets, no hosepipes are allowed.
  5. The Irrigation or watering of ALL sport fields using municipal water is prohibited.
  6. Washing of vehicles with a garden hose is prohibited. Only buckets are allowed.
  7. Cleaning of any outside surface areas using a water hose is prohibited.
  8. Filling up of swimming pools with municipal water is prohibited.
  9. Applications for exemption can be submitted to the Deputy Director Water for consideration.
  10. Those making use of their own water must display a visible sign stating “Own Water”.
    (Please see www.george.gov.za for the full list of proposed restrictions.)

Why Water Restrictions?
The Garden Route Dam level remains low due to poor rainfall and predictions for the next three months ahead are not positive. The ongoing loadshedding has also had a negative impact on the ability to treat raw water (despite the use of generators) reducing the reliability of daily treatment volumes. The Existing water treatment works cannot meet peak demands and is increasingly under pressure to meet daily potable water demand. The new 20Ml extension to the capacity of the works will only be completed in the next three years. If demand is not managed new growth and development and peak seasons cannot be accommodated.

Appeal to Residents to save Water
“Our appeal is that all households should immediately reduce their water usage to no more than 15KL per month to adhere to the new water restrictions. At present, we only have 4-5 months’ supply of water left in our Dam, and in addition there is limited water treatment capacity. Our usage has grown dramatically this past year and our residents now need to assist to conserve our water supplies. We also desperately need rain to increase the level of our Dam. Please share this message widely to help save Water,” said Ald Leon Van Wyk.

Public Participation Process
https://www.george.gov.za/notices/notice-nr-t-ing-029-2022-emergency-water-tariffs-2022-23/  Follow this link to find the proposed Water Restrictions and the applicable Emergency Tariffs.

Your comments can be emailed to Ms Sam Gcagcaso at sgcagcaso@george.gov.za, or delivered as a handwritten submission on weekdays (07h45- 16h30) to the Department: Civil Engineering Services, Old Town Hall, corner of Market and York Streets, and by no later than 16h30 on 12 December 2022. The information will also be placed in the form of notices at our  public libraries, area offices, Municipal offices and the Municipal Notice Boards.

Basic Checks
Simple basic checks can be done to ensure that your indoor and outdoor taps as well as your toilet/s are not leaking. Close all taps on your property and don’t flush any toilets. Take a water meter reading and wait 15 minutes before taking a second reading. If the units on the water meter have increased with the taps closed and no toilets flushed it means that there is a leak. Note that  one leaking toilet can waste between 2600 – 13 000 litres of water per month, and one leaking tap can waste between 400 – 2600 litres of water per month.

 

Report contraventions of the current Water Restrictions on 0800 424477 – fines apply.
Report all water leaks on 044 801 9262/66  or A/ h 044 801 6300

Water Leaks can also be reported at your nearest Area Office or Thusong Centre, emailed to gmun@george.gov.za , via the Municipal App or phoned in to 044 801 9311.