Water crisis: eThekwini Municipality urges residents to conserve water as heatwave continues

Residents in Durban are experiencing water supply interruptions due to an ongoing heatwave. As the rest of the country feels the effects of what many call awater crisis, the eThekwini Municipality has urged residents to reduce water consumption as a prolonged heatwave is driving residents to use more water than needed. Officials warn that continued high usage is placing a strain on the municipal water distribution network, with several reservoirs struggling to maintain supply.

Intermittent disruptions have already been reported in some areas. Residents are urged to use water sparingly to allow reservoir levels to recover and maintain stable system pressure, ensuring consistent availability for all communities. At the same time, the South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 Warning for severe thunderstorms across parts of KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces.

Residents in affected areas should expect heavy rainfall, localised flooding, and large amounts of small hail. According to a SAWS traveller forecast report, fire danger is also extremely high in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, including Jozini, Nongoma, Big S Hlabisa, and Mtubatuba Local Municipalities, as well as ZF Mgcawu District Municipality in the Northern Cape. The combination of hot, humid conditions and strong winds could exacerbate wildfire risk.

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Hot and humid conditions along the Eastern Cape’s south coast and parts of eastern KwaZulu-Natal are expected to make the weather extremely uncomfortable, particularly for vulnerable populations. Residents are reminded to limit water usage immediately, stay informed about weather alerts and potential flooding and take fire safety precautions in high-risk areas.

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