The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) clearly does not possess the expertise and managerial capacity to resolve the ongoing water crisis on its own.
The Metro itself contributes significantly to the problem through failing to do routine maintenance and repair thousands of leaks, resulting in more than half the treated potable water being lost.
According to the latest figures, dam levels are at a critical 38,07%, of which only 29,08% is usable. This is well below the emergency line and points to a crisis that is rapidly spiralling out of control.
The root of the problem lies in ageing water infrastructure spanning more than 4 700 km, much of it dating from the 1970s, so, it should have been replaced long ago.
The current approach of quick fixes is simply not sustainable.
Water is the lifeblood of households, businesses and the local economy. Without reliable water supply, communities and job creation are directly jeopardised.
The scale of the crisis clearly exceeds the Metro’s capacity, so, it is high time that the provincial and national governments intervene and provide financial support, engineering expertise and large-scale infrastructure upgrades.
The future of Nelson Mandela Bay hinges on decisive and sustainable action.
Water is life; and poor local governance should no longer endanger residents and businesses.
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