Durban – Schools in parts of Durban that face looming water restrictions fear these may impede teaching and learning, with some concerned they may be forced to close doors if conditions become too difficult.
A selection of schools in affected areas told The Mercury that restrictions would affect school hygiene, and could lead them to halt sports and physical education classes when water is compromised.
The eThekwini municipality last Monday reintroduced water restrictions after Mt Moriah reservoir, which feeds 16 other reservoirs, ran dry.
Water restrictions had been relaxed for the festive season.
Pinetown, New Germany, Westmead, Wyebank and the Upper Highway are among the areas affected.
Wyebank Primary School in Kloof was forced to close three days in a row last week because of restrictions.
A pupil was rushed to the doctor for dehydration, principal R Salot told The Mercury on Wednesday.
“When there’s no water we’re concerned about children not having water on a hot day but we also don’t want to stop teaching and learning,” he said. Classes resumed this week."
Salot said pupils were advised to come with their own water, and they would rely on JoJo tanks for water to clean toilet facilities.
“We can’t keep closing the school. If restrictions continue, we’d have to assess the situation.”
Pinetown Boys’ High has also advised pupils to carry bottled water. “It is a concern,” principal Raysellan Naidoo said. “If toilet systems can’t be maintained, we will have to assess on that day whether we will close the school.”
He added that they might have to stop PE and concentrate on indoor activities.
A representative from Brown’s School said they would use water from their swimming pool to clean the school.
The school said it could not afford to close doors since the pupils’ parents worked. Pupils would be kept at the school, even if it came to the point where teaching and learning were interrupted.
Similar concerns were expressed by pre-schools.
Tracy Dragsund, of Edu Kids pre-school in New Germany, said: “It may come to it that we close if the restrictions kick in but we have parents who are all working and they have nowhere else to put children.”
Nicci Brill, principal of Whizz Kids in Pinetown, echoed Dragsund: “The school has to stay open no matter what, because my parents work. I don’t have a choice. If we close, then there will be a domino effect because parents then can’t go to work.”
Dragsund said: “Drinking water becomes a problem, and you don’t want to be asking parents to supply water. They pay fees and can’t be expected to do that."
“We have JoJo tanks, but it is only sufficient water for flushing (toilets). This makes it very unhygienic, especially as a pre-primary school.”
The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal did not comment on whether they had received complaints from schools or whether they had a contingency plan for schools, but a spokesperson said the department acknowledged the problem.