New drought relief tariffs & penalties for Silulumanzi Concession Areas – 1 Feb 20

City of Mbombela hereby gives notice to implement water restrictions through the introduction of drought relief tariffs and penalties, effective from 1 February 2020 until further notice. This is due to significantly below normal rainfall and extremely high temperatures, which led to official restrictions being issued for the City of Mbombela to reduce its raw abstraction from the Kwena Dam, Klipkopje, Longmere, Witklip and its tributaries and dams by 20%, and 50% from the Lomati dam by the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency in terms of Schedule 3 of the National Water Act No 36 of 1998. The 2019/20 approved tarrifs for domestic users and guesthouses with 3 or less rooms are:

The tariffs for businesses and guesthouses with more than 3 rooms are:

All customers are urged to adhere to the following restrictions:

• No washing of hard-surface or paved areas with drinking water allowed;
• Watering of gardens, flower beds, parks, lawns and other open spaces not allowed during the day. It can be done either before 09h00 or after 18h00. Council, other government nurseries and parks will be exempted from the water restrictions on application to the Municipal Manager;
• Washing of vehicles is only allowed with buckets or hose pipe with automated self-closing devices or waterless products. Unmetered and unauthorised car-washing businesses connected to the Kanyamazane- Pienaar- Kabokweni bulk line be removed to curb water wastage and losses;
• No automatic top-up systems are allowed for swimming pools;
• Water fountains and water features to be operated only by recycled water; and

APPROVED PENALTIES:

Irrigation or use of hosepipe:

Possible changes in the water pressure might be experienced by residents due to the low levels of raw water intake, and reservoir outlets might be closed at times to build pressure in the system.