No water for gardens, pools, or washing cars the next step, warns Joburg

Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest economic hub, is considering stricter water restrictions to address a deepening water crisis.

While level 1 restrictions have been in place, these measures have proven inadequate, prompting city officials to contemplate escalating to level 2 or even higher.

The current level 1 restrictions prohibit residents from using municipal water to irrigate gardens or clean paved areas between 06h00 and 18h00.

However, Logan Munsamy, Operations Manager at Johannesburg Water, has admitted these measures are “not entirely effective.”

Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Munsamy confirmed that the city is “looking at increasing that level of restriction, possibly to level 2 or higher.”

Level 2 restrictions would introduce more stringent measures, including bans on using municipal water to irrigate gardens, fill swimming pools, and use hosepipes to wash vehicles or clean pavements.

These restrictions come amid growing concerns over Gauteng province’s water security.

Rand Water, Africa’s largest bulk-water supplier, issued a stark warning in October that Johannesburg and neighbouring Pretoria could face severe shortages unless consumption is drastically reduced.

The crisis is taking a heavy toll on residents.

In the western suburb of Westbury, frustrations boiled over this week when protests over water outages turned violent, leading to clashes with police.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) delivered a memorandum to Executive Mayor Dada Morero, highlighting that some households have been without water for as long as 70 days.

These prolonged outages underscore the severity of the city’s infrastructure challenges.

South Africa’s water crisis is not a new phenomenon. It stems from decades of underinvestment in water systems and poor maintenance practices.

The nation’s central bank has identified the degradation of infrastructure, including water, transport, and energy systems, as a significant threat to its economic stability.

This concern is compounded by the aftereffects of a yearslong energy crisis that subjected South Africans to rolling blackouts lasting up to 12 hours a day.

Johannesburg, as the country’s business epicentre, is particularly vulnerable to the economic ramifications of these crises.

Water shortages disrupt businesses, strain public services, and erode investor confidence.

The government’s inability to address these issues effectively has raised alarms about the city’s long-term sustainability.

The looming implementation of level 2 or higher water restrictions is a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic reform.

Experts have noted that Johannesburg must address its water infrastructure challenges by prioritising investment, improving maintenance, and adopting more sustainable water management practices.

Without decisive action, the city risks not only worsening the crisis but also exacerbating social unrest and undermining its economic potential.

As Johannesburg’s water woes intensify, the city’s ability to balance immediate relief efforts with long-term solutions will be critical to securing its future.

Reported with Bloomberg.

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