By Abbas Nazil
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in the Eastern Cape is currently experiencing a severe water crisis, with daily water consumption reaching 387 million liters, significantly exceeding the recommended daily limit of 280 million liters.
This surge in water usage has raised concerns for the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, which warns that extreme heat conditions are placing additional pressure on an already fragile water system.
To address the high water consumption, the chamber has relaunched its Adopt A School initiative, which will prioritize repairing faulty plumbing, fixing leaks, and installing rainwater harvesting systems to reduce water waste.
Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, emphasized that the decline in available water is not solely due to falling dam levels.
She explained that unaccounted water losses exceeding 50 percent are largely caused by poorly maintained water infrastructure and widespread leaks.
Van Huyssteen also highlighted other contributing factors, including meter tampering, inadequate security at pump stations, technical issues, and water billing problems, all of which result in millions of liters of treated water being lost daily.
The chamber has called for urgent attention to the state of the water system, noting that the combination of ageing infrastructure, extreme heat, and unmonitored water losses is creating an unsustainable situation for the metro.
Officials stress that immediate action is needed to prevent further strain on water resources and to ensure the sustainable supply of water for residents and businesses in the region.
The relaunch of the Adopt A School initiative is expected to make a measurable difference by reducing water losses and raising awareness about the importance of water conservation.
If the issues are not addressed promptly, the metro faces the risk of even more severe water shortages, which could disrupt daily life and economic activities across the Eastern Cape.
Experts warn that without coordinated intervention, the combination of high consumption, faulty infrastructure, and environmental pressures could lead to a long-term water crisis affecting both households and industries.
Residents are being urged to adopt water-saving practices, report leaks, and cooperate with ongoing water management programs to help mitigate the current shortage and protect the metro’s water resources.