Joburg teeters on Day Zero

WATER OUTAGES: CALL FOR NATIONAL DISASTER STATUS

- Faizel Patel

As the hot weather continues unabated in Gauteng, many of Joburg’s residents are effectively already living under Day Zero and the government must declare the city a national disaster area, says a civil society activist group.

Day Zero refers to the critical moment when a city’s water supply reaches such low levels that authorities must drastically restrict access to water.

The group, WaterCAN, said communities in Kensington, Emmarentia, Meldene and many other areas fed by the Hursthill, Alexander Park and Berea reservoirs continue to experience prolonged water outages lasting days and, in some cases, nearly three weeks.

"The situation is further compounded by what can be described as a balancing act of water supply among the President Park, Grand Central, and Eland reservoirs in Midrand, leaving residents with unstable, unpredictable access to water."