Big threats to water security looming over the Summer, in Gauteng, are due to high consumption patterns and late payments by Municipalities.
This emerged at a media briefing organized by Rand Water yesterday.
Sipho Mosai, Chief Executive Officer of Rand Water, says physical losses already account for about 33% of water supplied, while non-revenue is at an estimated 42%.
“When the weather is cooler, like last week, we’ve observed, there is less consumption, but the water we use in the City of Johannesburg, is at 1493 Megaliters a day. This week alone, it was at 1,640.
The City of Ekurhuleni’s reading is at 830 Megaliters a day” says Mahlomola Mehlo, Chief Operating Officer, of Rand Water.
Meetings between Metros (Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni) are set every week to monitor and manage water use.
Rand Water, abstracts water, purifies, and distributes it in bulk, to Municipalities in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Free State and parts of the North West.
Mosai says debtor days have increased from 35 to 85, due to late payments by Municipalities. But investment continues in efforts to supply maximum amounts of water.
Thus far, some R300 million was invested on maintenance and repairs and about R34 billion, to renew the system.
Picture of critical reservoirs, Rand Water
Picture of the Integrated Vaal System: Clause Water Specialists