Water shutdown in Vryheid

The AbaQulusi Municipality has confirmed a total water shutdown for the town and its surrounding areas including Bhekuzulu and Lakeside due to the severe drought.  The Zululand District Municipality is one of the areas hardest hit by the drought.  

Councillor Harry Heyns says the municipality is unable draw water from Klipfontein Dam with levels now below 18%.  

Heyns says the Grootgewacht Dam has been earmarked to provide some relief.

"That will give us some water to put into our reservoirs and then of course we've got a couple of very strong boreholes combined giving us 39 000 litres an hour, that will give us bolder help. 

"We are also busy helping the Zululand District Municipality to drill a few more boreholes but you know we can't also go mad there because they'll run out," he said. 

The municipality is installing water tanks at strategic points so residents can get water.  

Meanwhile, there's some much needed rain falling in the province today. The SA Weather Service is also predicting heavy thundershowers across most of KZN later. However, not in the north east.  

The service's Thandiwe Gumede says thunderstorms should be expected.

"For the rest of the week we are still expecting some precipitation but the chances are moderate to a more isolated chance which is a 30% chance.

"Typical summer phenomena where we get warmer days during the day and then thunderstorms develop in the afternoon in the berg and drift towards the coast," she said.

(File photo)