PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said it had realised that not enough water was stored in the remaining canal system to mitigate water shortages during the Sundays River Canal rehabilitation.
In a statement on Wednesday, the metro said rehabilitation work on the canal commenced on Saturday and will happen until the 4th of July
Algoa FM previously reported that the canal's closure followed an incident in 2017 when a section collapsed and a temporary structure was subsequently erected but was now also in danger of collapse.
NMB mayor Gary van Niekerk also said previously that daily water will be reduced from 210 mega litres to 70 mega litres for the duration of the rehabilitation work.
The realisation that not enough water had been stored comes after the city assured residents that water supply to parts of the city would be reduced – but not enough water has been stored for the duration of the repairs.
Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said the city's water services would ensure that available water is optimised during this period.
"The Department of Water and Sanitation construction teams are working hard to speed up the work on site as best they can,” he said.
Mniki said the areas that will be most affected by the intermittent water supply are Motherwell, Wells Estate, Bluewater Bay, parts of Chatty, Kariega and Despatch.
He said the municipality was mobilising alternative water resources in the form of water tankers to supply the areas that are affected.
"More information about the water interruptions and water tankers locations will be communicated through ward councillors, the metro's social media pages and community radio stations,” he said.
READ MORE: Sundays River canal to undergo much needed rehabilitation
