Windhoek heads for severe water restrictions
With the current inflow received into central dams, the projected run-dry date is September 2021 – placing Windhoek on the precipice of the city's most severe water crisis.
Windhoek could be heading for the implementation of the city's most severe water crisis savings category within months, unless inflow into dams improve and residents pull up their socks to achieve the current Category D 15% or more weekly water-use target.
“We are in very big trouble. It is a worrying situation. The way things look now, if we don't receive any more inflow into the dams, we will be in a very critical situation. Then a decision will have to be made whether to upgrade the current Category D - severe scarcity - to a Category E scenario,” a reliably informed expert familiar with the city's water supply situation said last week.
Declining to be named, he said while it will be a decision that will have to be considered carefully, on a technical basis, with the current dam levels, “that is where we are heading. This is the worst the situation has looked like in my experience.”
The expert explained that with the current inflow received, the run-dry date for the central dams has improved slightly, from May 2021 to September 2021.
And while the water savings target of 15% since last May has not been achieved, it is commendable that with the efforts of many residents, an overall savings of 12% was achieved to date, he said.
Nevertheless, it is still “not enough”.
With less than two years before the run-dry date, the expert said it is a “fact that the relevant authorities will have to take urgent steps very soon unless we get water into the dams, and they will have to put in place drastic measures, otherwise this city will be facing a serious crisis”.
In that case, an upgrade to the Category E water crisis “will most probably have to be considered and implemented”, he said.
He added that, in essence, a move from Category D to Category E indicates the city is done with “asking residents nicely to save water” to a situation where “water savings are strictly enforced. And that is not an ideal situation”.
He added that water restrictions have wide ranging consequences for businesses and households, including quality of life. “So it's not a decision that can be taken lightly.”
Strictest
Category E is the most severe water crisis category as per the city's 2019 water management plan.
The category will give rise to its own set of complications, including ensuring sufficient manpower and other resources to enforce restrictions. A Category E scenario will furthermore entail severe water use bans and drastically increase the weekly water-use targets, in addition to tariffs.
The expert further warned that Category E water management restrictions could pose a number of challenges to the municipality.
“It's not a category we should go to. It will create enormous challenges, and so we should try and avoid it.”
Below target
Last May, the municipality increased the city's water use category from C to D, implementing the 15% usage target and other restrictions, including amending water tariffs.
While the savings target has been achieved during some weeks and months, notably during the holiday period in December into early January and the cold winter months, most weeks, water savings targets were not reached.
By end of January, consumption was 10% over the weekly target of 465 000 cubic metres, and 5% over target in the first week of February. Last week, water consumed was 7% over target.
Among the various water savings tips, the municipality this week advised that in average homes, showers are typically the third largest water users after toilets and washing machines.
The average shower uses 65.1 litres and lasts 8.2 minutes, the city noted.
In an effort to reduce a home's water consumption, the city asked residents to “consider taking a sponge bath rather than a shower”.
The 10 February weekly dam bulletin indicates that inflows were received at the start of February in Friedenau, Otjivero Main, Otjivero Silt, Hardap, Oanob and Dreihuk dams.
However, dam levels remains low, especially in the central area, Hardap and Otjivero dams.
JANA-MARI SMITH
“We are in very big trouble. It is a worrying situation. The way things look now, if we don't receive any more inflow into the dams, we will be in a very critical situation. Then a decision will have to be made whether to upgrade the current Category D - severe scarcity - to a Category E scenario,” a reliably informed expert familiar with the city's water supply situation said last week.
Declining to be named, he said while it will be a decision that will have to be considered carefully, on a technical basis, with the current dam levels, “that is where we are heading. This is the worst the situation has looked like in my experience.”
The expert explained that with the current inflow received, the run-dry date for the central dams has improved slightly, from May 2021 to September 2021.
And while the water savings target of 15% since last May has not been achieved, it is commendable that with the efforts of many residents, an overall savings of 12% was achieved to date, he said.
Nevertheless, it is still “not enough”.
With less than two years before the run-dry date, the expert said it is a “fact that the relevant authorities will have to take urgent steps very soon unless we get water into the dams, and they will have to put in place drastic measures, otherwise this city will be facing a serious crisis”.
In that case, an upgrade to the Category E water crisis “will most probably have to be considered and implemented”, he said.
He added that, in essence, a move from Category D to Category E indicates the city is done with “asking residents nicely to save water” to a situation where “water savings are strictly enforced. And that is not an ideal situation”.
He added that water restrictions have wide ranging consequences for businesses and households, including quality of life. “So it's not a decision that can be taken lightly.”
Strictest
Category E is the most severe water crisis category as per the city's 2019 water management plan.
The category will give rise to its own set of complications, including ensuring sufficient manpower and other resources to enforce restrictions. A Category E scenario will furthermore entail severe water use bans and drastically increase the weekly water-use targets, in addition to tariffs.
The expert further warned that Category E water management restrictions could pose a number of challenges to the municipality.
“It's not a category we should go to. It will create enormous challenges, and so we should try and avoid it.”
Below target
Last May, the municipality increased the city's water use category from C to D, implementing the 15% usage target and other restrictions, including amending water tariffs.
While the savings target has been achieved during some weeks and months, notably during the holiday period in December into early January and the cold winter months, most weeks, water savings targets were not reached.
By end of January, consumption was 10% over the weekly target of 465 000 cubic metres, and 5% over target in the first week of February. Last week, water consumed was 7% over target.
Among the various water savings tips, the municipality this week advised that in average homes, showers are typically the third largest water users after toilets and washing machines.
The average shower uses 65.1 litres and lasts 8.2 minutes, the city noted.
In an effort to reduce a home's water consumption, the city asked residents to “consider taking a sponge bath rather than a shower”.
The 10 February weekly dam bulletin indicates that inflows were received at the start of February in Friedenau, Otjivero Main, Otjivero Silt, Hardap, Oanob and Dreihuk dams.
However, dam levels remains low, especially in the central area, Hardap and Otjivero dams.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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