Cabinet has urged the public to continue adhering to water restrictions and play their part by using the scarce resource sparingly.
This week, government announced emergency measures to address water shortages in Gauteng’s metros, district and local municipalities amid water cuts in the province in recent weeks.
Water restrictions have been implemented in certain parts of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
Addressing media during a post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said dams and reservoirs in the province remained under pressure due to high temperatures and increasing demand.
These pressures, he said, had forced Rand Water to drastically reduce water supply to municipalities.
The water utility supplies bulk water to more than 11 million people in Gauteng and parts of Mpumalanga, Free State and North West.
Gungubelele said that “these unavoidable restrictions” aim to secure water supply and would remain in place until the situation improves.
He thanked South Africans for adhering to water restrictions implemented in certain parts of the metros, as Rand Water sought to stabilise the capacity of reservoirs.
Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, this week committed to increase the bulk water allocation to the Rand Water system.
He said this should bring relief to some metros, including Johannesburg, Tshwane and Mogale City.
Mchunu said the measure is for a period of nine months, while the department seeks more permanent solutions to water usage and management.
Mchunu on Monday held an emergency meeting with Rand Water, representatives of all three metros, and district and local municipalities of Gauteng affected by water restrictions.
Government has established a Water Room committee, including the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water and all Gauteng municipalities, as well as the business sector, to provide a holistic coordination, provision and management of the water system in the province.
