With Eskom’s recent changes to Stage 5 and 6 load shedding the ability of all businesses to operate has been compromised.
Overstrand Municipality’s Municipal Manager, Dean O’Neill, explained periods of power interruption of four-and-a-half hours, and the municipality’s ability to provide communities with enough water.
“The sanitation infrastructure is also under increasing pressure during the long bouts of load shedding,” he added.
Residents are requested to use water sparingly, as this will assist, firstly, in conserving reservoir levels and secondly reducing wastewater flows and pressure on sewerage pump stations.
“Overstrand Municipality is doing its utmost to manage the situation within its capacity and available resources,” said O’Neill. “Unfortunately, not all installations are equipped with generators at this stage.”
Residents of some high lying areas may experience low water pressure and even water-supply interruptions as a result of extended load shedding events, where reservoirs cannot be filled adequately during periods between load shedding, or where booster pump systems are out of operation during load shedding events.
“Some sewerage pump stations which are not equipped with generators may spill during extended periods of load shedding,” O’Neill said. “Warning signs will be erected when necessary.”
