Water restrictions imposed in S. Africa due to severe drought

Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane on Thursday urged South Africans to respect water restrictions currently being applied across the country as a way to fight against the effects of a severe drought.

Water restrictions have been imposed in a number of provinces, and most recently in the Gauteng Province.

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 minister told a press conference in Parliament.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has recorded a significant drop in the country's water storage and quantity/dam levels despite recent rainfalls and floods in some parts of the country.

Mokonyane said the department is looking at improving the design of water infrastructure to ensure that it adapt to unfavourable climatic conditions.

She urged citizens to "never overexploit but to manage the little water at their disposal", saying that if this is done, the country will be best equipped to manage the effects of the drought.

Also on Thursday, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Des van Rooyen said dams across the country are at their lowest levels in years due to the drought. Enditem