'A severe health & sanitation risk': EFF to engage Rand Water on water restrictions

The EFF in Gauteng has weighed in on Rand Water's stage 2 restrictions, saying they pose a severe health and sanitation risk to vulnerable people.

Rand Water has implemented stage 2 water restrictions in six municipalities it supplies to stabilise and avoid the emptying of reservoirs and a complete system crash.

Areas supplied by the Eikenhof system — Brixton, Crosby and Hursthill — have experienced low pressure to no water, due to the water being diverted to the Palmiet system.

The affected areas include Montgomery Park, Westbury, Hursthill, Greymont, Coronationville, Newlands, Northcliff, Newclare, Auckland Park, Albertville, Newlands, Melville, Richmond, Parkview, Emmarentia and Greenside.

The EFF said the restrictions are affecting businesses and civil society.

“Water is an essential basic need for life and economic purposes. The businesses that rely on water and electricity for production and services are struggling to cope with the rolling electricity outages, and adding water restrictions aggravates an already desperate situation.

“Imposing water restrictions on hospitals, clinics, schools and crèches to a point where there's a shortage of water to drink and flush toilets poses a severe health and sanitation risk to vulnerable people.

“Understanding that Gauteng supply dams levels are more than 90% and anticipating a rainy period, Gauteng does not have a water crisis. Increased water consumption by residents due to the hot conditions is inevitable and our water system must be built to respond to this.

“While water-saving mechanisms, like minimal use of sprays, sprinklers and hosepipes are essential, they do not provide an adequate solution to the challenge. Improved infrastructure in terms of the water pumping system and maintenance is important.”

The EFF said it will engage Rand Water management and municipalities to find a solution to the challenge.

TimesLIVE ran a poll asking readers if they had been affected by water issues in Johannesburg.

More than half (51%) said they were, while 30% said they were preparing for the worst and 19% said they had not been affected.

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