WATER RATIONING GOES COUNTRYWIDE

The current water shortage could result in people getting water from unhygenic sources. (Courtesy Pic)

MBABANE – Water rationing will soon be implemented countrywide as the natural resource becomes scarce.

Peter Bhembe, Swaziland Water Services Corporation (SWSC) Managing Director, said water rationing would be implemented in other towns soon. He said this was because water was running out in many places.

“It will be implemented in other towns soon as the situation is dire. Already, some towns have no water and are relying on alternative sources.
“Water rationing means that water production is reduced and, as a result of this water reduction, less water is supplied to municipalities.

This has a knock-on effect on consumers who are given a limited amount of water per day. Once the water quantum allocated to households is consumed, there is no water available until the following day when a new amount is allocated. Rationing is one way of mitigating the drought from a resource conservation perspective,” Bhembe said.

Water rationing is the controlled distribution of water.
Bhembe said towns like Manzini were safe for now, however, they would soon feel the reality of water rationing.  The current water crisis is a result of the ongoing drought caused by El Niño. The corporation has noted that there was no water countrywide. Places like Ezulwini and Matsapha already source water from alternative sources. 

The Ezulwini area now survives from water produced from the LaMgabhi Water Treatment Plant. The LaMgabhi River is also running low and there is now high competition for the resource, both from SWSC and the community, which sometimes uses the water for irrigation.

Meanwhile, Matsapha is supplied through Luphohlo Dam. Bhembe thanked the Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) for allowing them (SWSC) to use their resources to supply the Matsapha Industrial Sites.
The challenge faced by SWSC to supply water following the ongoing drought forced the organisation to offer the natural resource on rotational basis.

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