Water restrictions lifted in Gauteng

Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation, Sputnik Ratau says the lifting of the water restrictions is due to the improved dam levels in the province follow the recent rains.

''The Integrated Vaal River System has reached a level of about 95 percent and we had made an undertaking that once the system reaches 75 percent, we will review the restrictions that were imposed in Gauteng. Therefore this is the reason why we have gazetted on the 13th of March the lifting of these water restrictions," Ratau said. 

The department says the Vaal dam has been increasing on a weekly basis and was on 95,5 percent in the first week of March.

''Our decision was based on looking at the fact that we needed the Integrated Vaal River System to be at least at 75 percent, now that it is over 95 percent there is really no reason for us to keep the water restrictions because the system will be able to service not just Rand Water, but Gauteng primarily with water throughout this coming winter season," Ratau said.

However, the department has cautioned that South Africa remains a water-scarce country.

''The fact of the matter is we are still in a drought and South Africa remains a water-scarce country, those realities remain and therefore we would require that everybody in Gauteng continues to understand that and use water sparingly," Ratau said.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape is still facing a serious drought due to poor rainfall, extremely low dam levels, as well as a hot and dry summer season. Since the beginning of February, the City of Cape Town has implemented level 3B water restrictions, while Beaufort West Municipality upgraded their water restrictions to level 3.