Military, police to help with 'Day Zero'

In a column for the Daily Maverick, Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, said the date may be delayed further as the City and neighbouring towns intensify "throttling", the process of drastically reducing water pressure in specific areas, where greatest savings can be achieved.

This will include plans for different scenarios we might face at Day Zero such as no water‚ restricted water supply‚ the use of alternate water sources.

Our desalination, aquifer and water recycling projects aimed at providing additional water are ongoing but will not provide sufficient supply to help us avoid Day Zero this year.

Mayor Patricia de Lille has blamed residents for the increasing likelihood of the city reaching Day Zero, as over 60% of Capetonians are using more than the allowed 87 litres per day.

The Disaster Risk Management Department has been looking at how these water collection points can be managed to ensure efficiency is maximised.

"If we want this disaster plan to be adopted with as little risk and inconvenience as possible‚ we need to look at the local context of each water distribution point".

Zille is due to meet with principals regarding the water crisis, her spokesperson Michael Mpofu said. The managers of health facilities would be addressed separately‚ according to a statement from Zille's office on Tuesday.

Neilson said the operational plan for day zero and beyond was still being finalised‚ based on global best practice.

"Plans are now being finalised for schools that require additional support to secure their water supply". The majority of these boreholes require minimal work to operationalize for hygiene and fire safety purposes.

The Department of Public Works in the Western Cape has said the objective of the latest initiatives is to ensure critical facilities are water-secure.

"Security measures at both school and health facilities are also being considered as part of the Province's plans, and additional resources will be sourced where necessary".