JOHANNESBURG residents, who use more than 20 000 litres of water a month could soon be fined for failing to abide by new water restrictions the City said on today, following a decision by member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for environment and infrastructure services, Anthony Still.
Residents who use between 20 000 and 30 000 litres of water, would face an additional 10 percent charge, and those who use between 30 000 and 40 000 litres would face an extra 20 percent fee.
“We are bringing a rule that says you can’t use sprinklers at anytime, if you want to water your garden before 06:00 in the morning or night you must use a hosepipe or a bucket,” Still says.
This comes after the Department of Water and Sanitation has decided to limit the abstraction of water for urban and irrigation purposes in the catchment areas of the dams supplying the Vaal River and Orange River systems.
An ever higher tariff of 30 percent will be imposed for those with water usage above 40 000 litres.
Those who fail to abide by these restrictions may face fines from R1 000 to R1 500 for each offence, which would be added to their water bills.
Still said they City has been asked by Rand Water, which supplies them with bulk water, to reduce its water.
–Guardian