- Nelson Mandela Bay says only 38.76% of its dam water is usable, enough to last about 246 days.
- Residents are using about 380 million litres daily, far above the city's target of 280 million litres.
Nelson Mandela Bay has warned it is dangerously close to running out of water. The city says the main cause is a worsening drought, not leaking pipes.
On 19 January, the metro said its dams were 47.7% full. But only 38.76% of that water can actually be used. This equals about 109,132 megalitres.
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At current usage levels, the city says this water will last just 246 days.
Residents are currently using about 380 million litres of water every day. The metro says daily use should not be more than 280 million litres.
City spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya says water use is far above safe levels. He says the metro is using about 100 million litres more per day than the sustainable target.
Soyaya says ageing pipes and leaks remain a problem. However, he says the main cause of the crisis is ongoing low rainfall and extreme weather over several years.
He says the situation is made worse by budget cuts, rising costs, vandalism and growing demand for services.
The metro says it is hiring outside contractors to fix leaks faster. Soyaya says the city has already spent R1.8-billion on boreholes to help secure long term water supply.
Last week, Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal criticised the metro. He said the city failed to plan properly to maintain its water system.
Odendaal says he wrote to Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina to ask for help. He says the city needs a Water Services Master Plan to guide repairs and upgrades.
