Tshwane faces severe water crisis as consumption rates soar

THE City of Tshwane is facing a severe water crisis, with excessively high consumption rates threatening to leave residents without water.

- RAPULA MOATSHE

The city’s reservoirs and towers have been dropping alarmingly over the past two weeks, with 16 high-consuming reservoirs identified as the main contributors to the problem.

Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba, said the demand in these areas is exceeding the city’s supply capacity, forcing the city to surpass its licensed limit of 662 million liters per day. Currently, Rand Water is pumping 926 million liters per day, 22% more than the permitted limit.

Bokaba cautioned residents that a high water consumption is likely to put consumers at risk of having no water at all, even before the hot summer season starts.

“It has come to our attention that consumers who are supplied by these reservoirs are the main contributors to the overall high volume of consumption within the city,” he said.