WEATHER GURU | Water availability: Nelson Mandela Bay metro must put its money where its mouth is

Nobody can be blamed for complaining about the hot sticky weather in Nelson Mandela Bay recently. Although nothing like Cape Town, that experienced a technically true heat wave coupled with an extended period of abnormally hot conditions, making it unbearable for many residents.

A heat wave occurs when the maximum temperature at a particular town is expected to exceed 5°C above the average maximum temperature of “the hottest month” of the year for that place, over a three-day period.

Considering that the hottest monthly average maximum temperature for the measuring station at the Airport is 27°C, they easily topped the 32°C threshold for three days and almost topped their record of 42.3°C which has stood since 2015, when 41.7°C was recorded at the Airport.

To add insult to injury, the maximum temperature only dropped below 30°C once during this prolonged hot period.

Our maximum of 35.5°C dwarfs in comparison to Cape Town, although the suburbs hit 38°C plus and Uitenhage/Kariega topped the 40.5°C mark. We still have a long way to go to hit our record of 40.7°C that has stood since 1965.

Essentially it was the same system that affected both metros. These Berg Wind conditions occur with a high-pressure system over the area and a low-pressure system at the coast. As the air descends from the interior to the coast, it heats at what is termed a Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) of approximately 10°C per kilometre as it descends.

As the air heats up over the interior during the day and is transported to the coast, it is heated by the DALR, and that is why we get these extreme temperatures. Our only saving grace is the wind that can rapidly cool the situation. This however depends on the direction. While westerlies have a slight cooling effect, easterly flow brings with it an increase in moisture which gives those sticky conditions that send the Discomfort Index soaring.

Maximum temperatures of 35°C plus in Gqeberha have been recorded in each month except in the height of winter, namely June and July. March and April are the months that 40°C plus have been recorded.

With all the heat, the effects on water consumption are materialising, with the Eastern Cape, including Nelson Mandela Bay, being declared a National Disaster. This is against the backdrop of local dams nearing the 40% critical level.

In their press release, the metro claimed that the current water consumption remains high at 373-million litres per day, which is approximately 93-million litres above the allocated limit, placing further strain on already limited water resources. This is occurring even though many parts of the metro are without water for extended periods.

They have therefore called on consumers to limit usage, without setting an example themselves.

If, as previously mentioned, claims that between 29% and 36% of treated water is lost due to water leaks, and the total for non-revenue water is between 50% and 60% of usage, then one can see where the real problem lies.

What is putting further pressure on our local dams is the fact that the Nooitgedacht (Gariep) Water Treatment Plant is not running at full capacity and is in a bad state of repairs according to social media postings. This is the plant that supplies 65% of the metro’s water.

As this plant is the lifeblood of the metro’s water supply, it should be kept in pristine condition and always be well maintained.

I have and always will be an advocate of valuing water as a scarce resource and conserving it at all costs. Not only have I done this through this column and various other media, but I have also put my money where my mouth is. Like many other residents, I have used my savings to install water tanks to limit my consumption to a bare minimum.

We the public have therefore made sacrifices, both lifestyle and financial, to play our part in the bigger scheme of water conservation, but our metro has not come to the party.

Spending money on advertising campaigns and consultants will by no means reduce consumption proportionally if millions of litres are being lost due to leaks.

I don’t think that it is due to lack of funding, as it is reported that the metro has underspent on its operating and capital infrastructure budgets, using less than 20% of the allocated funds, with tenders from 2023/24 that have still not been awarded. Additional funding from Treasury under the auspices of a National Disaster is not necessary and will not remedy the situation.

One also cannot say that it is due to lack of ability, as we have experienced officials within the metro as well as in the private sector. An example of this is the fantastic work done at the Coega Kop Water Treatment Plant, which I personally visited when it was opened.

All that is left to blame is climate change and the drought, an excuse that is starting to wear thin as all warnings were there and plans should have been put in place.

We all know that this water crisis is because of mismanagement, but the hard-working officials are not to blame, and we can only point a finger at the body politic of the metro, which must be held accountable for what is happening.

This week in history:

1984 : Cradock hit by a severe hailstorm

Dam Levels

40.27% dropped from previous weeks 41.20%.

Impofu slightly down to 38.97%

Weather Safety Tips:

When working outdoors always check the Discomfort Index and always stay hydrated with plenty of water and not alcohol.

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