Communities in the Kouga Municipality are again battling with water shortages as the reservoirs supplied by Churchill Dam slowly dry up. The municipality has urged residents to save water and emphasised the prohibition of fireworks ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Faced with declining water reserves from its reservoirs, the Kouga Municipality has urged residents and businesses in the area to conserve the resource to prevent taps from running dry.
Water levels at the reservoirs supplied by the Churchill Dam remain critically low, with the combined storage now at about 20%. Kouga is heavily dependent on the Nelson Mandela Bay metro’s supply system. This has affected the water quality, particularly in Jeffreys Bay, as silt from the bottom of certain reservoirs is causing water discolouration.
Kouga raised the alarm at the weekend, requesting communities to save water, and announced the prohibition of fireworks as they pose a fire risk. “We sincerely thank all residents for their continued cooperation and efforts in saving water during this challenging period. Your responsible water usage is making a significant difference and is greatly appreciated.
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“We kindly ask all residents to continue saving water and to restrict usage wherever possible. Residents must please note that water pressure will remain low until the reservoir levels have [been] restored sufficiently,” said the municipality in a statement on Saturday. As part of a long-standing safety precaution, the municipality also emphasised the prohibition of the discharge of fireworks during the festive season and especially on New Year’s Eve.
“In terms of Kouga Municipality bylaws and the Explosives Act, the use of fireworks is not permitted anywhere in the Kouga municipal area,” the municipality announced on Sunday. “Due to the high fire risk and water shortages in the area, residents and visitors are strictly prohibited from discharging fireworks, Chinese sky lanterns or emergency flares during festive celebrations and on New Year’s Eve.
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