LIMITS ON WATER USE: CALEDON MODDER SUBSYSTEM
Title: Caledon Modder Subsystem-Limiting the use of water in terms of item 6 of schedule 3 of the Act
Government Notice: GN 20 in GG 39679 of 12 February 2016
Date of commencement: 12 February 2016
The Director-General of the Department of Water and Sanitation believes that a potential water shortage exists in the Caledon Modder Subsystem especially in the Modder River catchment. This is due to insufficient rains and infrastructural constraint that is limiting transfer capacity from the Caledon to the Modder subsystem. This notice limits the taking of water from the Caledon-Modder subsystem by all users as follows:
a) 20% restriction on water use for Domestic and Industrial supply to the Mangaung Metropolitan Supply area.
b) 50% restrictions on the use of water for Irrigation purposes in the Modder River subcatchment upstream of Masselspoort Dam. Water for irrigation from the main stem of the Modder River is further limited as follow:
1) No water may be taken from the Modder River for any agricultural purpose between 18h00 on a Friday until 06h00 on the Monday succeeding that Friday.
2) Please take note that starting from the date of this notice,
a) water users on the left bank of the Modder River may from 06h00 to 18h00 take water on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
b) In the same week the water users on right side of the Modder River may from 06h00 to 18h00 only take water on Tuesday and Thursday.
c) water users on the right bank of the Modder River may from 06h00 to 18h00 take water on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
d) b) In the same week the water users on left side of the Modder River may from 06h00 to 18h00 only take water on Tuesday and Thursday.
3) This arrangement should be followed in the same pattern of interchanging weeks until further notice is issued.
4) Water may only be taken with waterworks as they were in operation on 30 November 2015.
5) Left bank of the river is defined as the left side of a person, if that person looks in the direction the water flows in a river concerned.
“So what” for my operation?
It is important for your operation to have knowledge of these restrictions as relevant to the quantities of water allowed to be taken from the specified water systems for irrigation, urban, industrial and/ or mining purposes. If you contravene this notice, the authority may modify, or require you to modify the contravening waterwork so that it cannot be used to take more water than that allowed for in the notice; or remove the waterwork or require you to remove the waterwork if the notice contains a prohibition on the use of that waterwork. Any reasonable costs incurred by this modification or removal may be recovered from your operation.
What is Shangoni’s approach?
Shangoni can assist individuals and industries located in the affected areas in developing a detailed water balance, or updating an existing water balance, to assess areas of excessive water usage / loss at the operation. This will identify areas where water saving initiatives can be implemented, to reduce the quantity of raw water required and therefore ensure compliance to the above mentioned water restrictions.
