Visitors reassured of enjoyable holiday amid water curtailment
Date: 2024-10-30 10:55:13
Visitors reassured of enjoyable holiday amid water curtailment
Tourism stakeholders attended an engagement to discuss the water curtailment where it was emphasised that it would not affect the upcoming festive season.
THE Water and Sanitation Unit, in collaboration with uMngeni-uThukela Water and Durban Tourism, hosted a successful stakeholder engagement session at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on 18 October. The engagement saw tour operators, tour guides, accommodation establishments, B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, eateries, shisanyama/lounges, and community tourism organisations convene to discuss the City’s strategy of managing water demand through the implementation of water curtailment that was implemented by the City recently.
The tourism sector was reassured that there would be no water restrictions; however, stakeholders were urged to continue using water sparingly during this period. Umngeni-uThukela Water Executive Operations Manager Phokola Maponya said the main objective of the water curtailment initiative is to proactively manage water resources and prevent the need for more drastic measures in the future. He said the curtailment will only reduce the volume of water abstracted from the uMngeni system to their licensed volumes of 470 million megalitres per annum (m3/annum), meaning a reduction on the current sales and abstraction volume of 8.4 percent. Implementation of water curtailment over a period of 12 months will ensure the sustainability of water during this critical time. Sandile Cele from the City’s Water and Sanitation Unit said to ensure residents are not adversely affected, the City is implementing interventions such as installing and replacing water meters to unmetered consumers, managing water pressure, and improving the turnaround time to repair leaks through the deployment of ward-based plumbers. He urged everyone to use water sparingly. Tourists and visitors coming to Durban can be assured that these measures will not impact on their experience during the festive season.