Authorities in Pretoria have assured residents there will be no water-shedding in the capital city.
This is despite the announcement of water restrictions yesterday by the City of Tshwane's MMC for service infrastructure Darryl Moss and Stephen Notoane, executive director for water and sanitation.
The two stressed that the restrictions should not raise fears that water-shedding was impending.
This would be similar to electricity load-shedding, where Eskom rations supply of power to communities. Some smaller municipalities in the country often do this.
Water-shedding was implemented by the Thembisile Hani local municipality in Mpumalanga for some weeks earlier this year.
Some communities under the municipality, such as KwaMhlanga, received water only on weekends.
But communities across Pretoria should rest assured that even during the current national water crisis such won't happen, Moss and Notoane stressed.
"It's highly unlikely that we'll get to the water-shedding stage," said Notoane. "It wasn't done in the previous water crisis.
"We've got systems in place that will prevent us from going to the water-shedding stage."
The water restrictions the Tshwane metro announced yesterday are in line with the Government Gazette of August 12.
It said municipalities drawing water from the Vaal River should limit urban water use by 15% and 20% on irrigation "with immediate effect".
Pretoria falls in the category of such municipalities, drawing over 80% of its water from the Vaal River.
As part of the restrictions, irrigation is prohibited between 6am and 6pm. Also banned is washing of cars using hose pipes.
The Tshwane officials urged residents to comply with measures to save water. "Should that not work, we'll start issuing punitive fines," said Moss.
But the metro could also increase water tariffs.
"We have a right to do that. In the last resort, we'll [implement] water-shedding," Moss said.
Tshwane became the last municipality in Gauteng to announce water restrictions.
The City of Johannesburg, Emfuleni local municipality in the Vaal and Ekurhuleni Metro announced water restrictions last week.
nkosib@sowetan.co.za