Wasteful water usage by residents of Nelson Mandela Bay has reduced dam levels to their lowest point in 11 years and brought the city to the brink of severe water restrictions.

Yesterday, the average level of dams serving the city was 41,3% – only 1,3% above the level at which water restrictions and punitive tariffs are due to be imposed.

The Kouga Dam, the city’s largest, is only 38,1% full. Although little rain has fallen over the catchment area in the past few weeks, municipal spokesman Lourens Schoeman said the fall in dam levels had been accelerated by residents apparently ignoring earlier pleas to use water sparingly.

Schoeman repeated the city’s appeal to residents to use watering cans instead of hoses on their gardens, check for and stop leaks, and not to waste water.

“Every drop we save will delay the introduction of water restrictions, which could happen soon if the average level continues to decline at the current rate.”

Ultimately, however, only hard, penetrating rains can save the city from restrictions now, Schoeman says.

Although light rain is forecast for the region throughout today and tomorrow, it is unlikely to be anything near the 150mm required to cause meaningful inflows into larger dams.

“Water is life. Let’s join hands and do the right thing,” said Schoeman. When the restrictions kick in, hoses and the washing of structures will be banned and tariffs will increase by between 30% and 43%.

The city’s catchment areas stretch from the Van Stadens River to Groendal, Wilderness and the Baviaans to the north, to Joubertina in the west (for the Kromme River) and north of Plettenberg Bay (for the Kouga River).