WESTERN CAPE NEWS - Mere days after the Western Cape was declared a national disaster area due to the ongoing drought and water scarcity in the region, it was announced that the much feared Day Zero has been pushed back to 4 June.
The inter-ministerial task team on drought and water scarcity made the announcement on Friday, 9 February, more than two years since the provincial government initially asked for such a declaration in November 2015.
On 13 February the Western Cape government announced that for the first time since the strict drought relief measures were announced residents consumed just 499 million liters a day, and that for the first time the daily target of less than 500 ML were achieved.
The average level for dams across the Western Cape for the week starting 12 February is 22.6% (2017: 34.7%).
The MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Minister Anton Bredell, has reiterated the need for continued water savings in the province.
Team effort
"The entire province, barring a few places only, remains at risk and in the grips of the drought.
"Moving forward it requires a continued team effort to get through the situation. We want to urge the public to continue to reduce water usage."
In Mossel Bay locals have rallied around calls to send water to Cape Town.
While sealed, bottled water is preferred for human consumption, tap water in clearly marked bottles is also collected as it may be used for so many other uses, such as to flush toilets and for washing clothes.
Mossel Bay Business Chamber chair Fanus Truter thanked Vredebest Removals, Triton Express and Albertinia Vervoer for transporting the collected water in bulk to Cape Town.
Distribution
As part of the concerted effort to help the people of Cape Town, Mossel Bay residents who may be able to help with the small-scale distribution of the collected containers of water, may collect whatever they can transport at any of the collection points at the Mosselbaai Mall centre management office, TVR Décor at the Langeberg Mall, or at the Pick n Pay at the Hartenbos Seefront.
The water may be dropped off at either of the Caltex service stations in the Strand or in Paarl.
The mass distribution delivers to WaterShortageSA in Ndabeni.
Declaring a national disaster lays the basis for financial and humanitarian aid by the government.
Although Mossel Bay has no immediate shortage of potable water, locals are urged to use water sparingly in solidarity with the rest of the province.
'We bring you the latest Mossel Bay, Garden Route news'
