Short-term rain forecasts "do not look promising"‚ meaning that water restrictions in KwaZulu-Natal's two main cities‚ Durban and Pietermaritzburg‚ are set to remain in place for the foreseeable future. Two key dam levels are at three-decade lows. While Durbanites have 15% mandatory restrictions on water usage‚ in Pietermaritzburg‚ residents of Copesville‚ Imbali‚ Ambleton and Azalea have been without water for several days as reservoir levels plunged.Residents in the province's capital city are also bracing themselves for another 30-hour cut scheduled for Thursday and Friday.In a notice issued by the Pietermaritzburg Chamber‚ director Melanie Veness warned members that the Eastwood Reservoir is currently very low‚ at 9% and battling to refill."Please be advised that there will be another 30-hour shutdown by Umgeni Water on the 7th and 8th September. In fact‚ there will be four 30-hour shutdowns at 1-month intervals to allow Umgeni Water to tie in the bulk water pipeline‚ which will give us security of supply in the future." Veness said the reservoirs are currently filling and there should be sufficient stored supply to carry residents through the shutdown period. She urged members and residents to use water sparingly.Water service authority Umgeni Water told TMG Digital on Tuesday that while recent heavy rains in the province had eased the situation in areas just north of Durban‚ there has been little impact on the towns fed by the Mgeni system."The Mgeni system comprises Midmar Dam‚ Albert Falls Dam‚ Nagle Dam and Inanda Dam.“An estimated 4-million consumers receive water in the Mgeni system. Currently 15% mandatory restrictions are in place…which compromises about 80% of eThekwini‚ all of Pietermaritzburg and all the uMgungundlovu district."Projections for above-average rainfall in the spring months‚ in September‚ October and November‚ do not look promising‚ based on information received from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The CSIR has projected that if rainfall occurs‚ it is only likely to materialise at the end of December‚ going into January. If this occurs‚ the amount of water available in Midmar Dam and ALbert Falls Dam will have to last until the next rains. Water rationing and restrictions are‚ therefore‚ being applied‚" said Umgeni Water spokesman Shami Harichunder. He said that‚ currently‚ the Midmar Dam was 46% full and the Albert Falls Dam was at 27% capacity.Both levels are three-decade lows.However‚ areas supplied by the Hazelmere Dam are in for a respite‚ with the 180mm of rain recorded in July and August pushing the water levels up to 62% - a 15% increase in the two months.This has meant that restrictions‚ which has been in place for about 18 months‚ have been lifted.The Hazelmere system supplies areas just north of Durban‚ including Ballito.- TMG Digital/Durban Newsroom..