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PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Bitou Municipality has introduced urgent water restrictions for Plettenberg Bay which will hit households with swimming pools, sporting facilities and nurseries the hardest.
Watering gardens, lawns, grassed areas, flower beds, racecourses, sports fields, bowling greens, golf greens and fairways, croquet lawns, turf wickets, ploughing fields and the like have been banned in a notice from Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani.
Consumers have been warned to cut consumption by 15%, otherwise stricter measures may be enforced.
Memani did not give reasons for the implementation of the restrictions but said it was made in terms Section 4 of the Water Service Act. Plettenberg Bay and surrounding mountain areas have recently received much rain and last week the Roodefontein Dam was 75% full.
Also affected by the restrictions are topping up or filling fountains, ornamental ponds, filling swimming and paddling pools, washing paved areas, walls, roofs, buildings and similar structures.
Households will also not be allowed to use hosepipes, sprinklers and drip systems and automatic swimming pool filters. Also affected are automatic urinal flushing systems, the connection of a hosepipe or any form of irrigation system to a tap supplying water from the municipality's water system.
Also prohibited will be the watering of plants, trees and shrubs in commercial, state and municipal nurseries.
Filling municipal and swimming pools at hotels, fitness centres, medical care centres, schools, educational institutions and institutions of higher education.
Specific exemptions can be made by the director of engineering services in writing.
Notice boards must be prominently displayed where water from sources other than the municipality's water supply system is used for irrigation.
Memani said all consumption must be reduced by at least 15% and that failure to achieve this will result in Bitou Municipality being forced to impose stricter measures. "The contravention of this prohibition constitutes a criminal offence," he said.
Exemptions will be made in a few instances. They are:
- The use of reclaimed water or water obtained from sources other than the municipality’s water supply system;
- watering gardens, lawns, grassed areas and flower beds by means of a hand-held container;
- the use or operation of a hosepipe or sprinkler system for firefighting;
- and the filling of a new pool on completion of initial construction.
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