The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has asked residents across South Africa, and particularly in Gauteng, to cut their water use this summer, warning that a prolonged heatwave and El Niño conditions are adding to pressure on supply.

The appeal was made in a statement on Tuesday 3 November, and comes in the same week that a power failure at a Rand Water pumping station cut supply to parts of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.

What the department said

DWS spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said the heatwave, which he described as "entering its third consecutive week", is driving up demand in Gauteng. He said this was compounding existing challenges, particularly substantial water losses through leaking municipal distribution infrastructure and high average consumption per person in certain areas.

The department also warned that excess use in areas where supply is reliable could worsen shortages in areas that are already disrupted. It said the South African Weather Service forecasts a high likelihood of a strong El Niño.

The numbers

  • Gauteng's average daily consumption is about 250 litres per person, against an international average of 173 litres, according to the department's report.
  • Non-revenue water, meaning water that is lost or not paid for, is estimated at 47%, with physical losses of about 27%.

What residents are asked to do

DWS advised shorter showers, turning off taps, fixing leaks and watering gardens only between 6pm and 6am. It also urged residents to observe municipal water-use restrictions, which may include bans on watering gardens with hosepipes or sprinklers outside set times, washing vehicles with hosepipes, cleaning driveways and patios with hosepipes, and filling or topping up swimming pools and water features.

Cuts for big users

Mavasa said that where necessary, DWS will cut authorised water abstraction by agricultural, industrial and other users, including water boards, to protect stressed water resources. The statement also said DWS cannot give Rand Water volumes beyond its authorised allocation from the Integrated Vaal River System.

What we do not yet know

  • Which municipalities will impose restrictions, and when.
  • When, and for which users, DWS would cut abstraction.
  • Current dam levels in the Integrated Vaal River System, which the statement did not give.

The details above come from the department's statement and have not been independently verified.