The expected R200 million budget the City requires to fund the installation of its water collection points will be taken from other departments.
In preparation for Day Zero, set for April 12, the City plans to build 200 water collection points across the city in the event dam levels reach 13.5%.
Once this happens, residents will be able to access water from these points, with each person allocated 25 litres of water a day.
The City’s safety and security executive director, Richard Bosman, said funding for the installation of the water collection points was all internal and reprioritised from department budgets.
“Costing arose based on calculations of the costs of the equipment required as well as the other service costs for the sites, such as security, cleansing and costs related to the staff manning the sites.
“The current (water) crisis takes precedence and the City will do all it can to minimise the impact upon service delivery across the board.”
He said the setting up of the water collection points would be done internally and the criteria for sites included connection to the core reticulation system (pipe network) and enough space to accommodate pedestrian and vehicle water collection traffic.
Level 6B water restrictions will come into effect from Thursday, with dam levels at 26.3% for the province.
Today, DA leader Mmusi Maimane, together with members of the drought crisis team, will provide an update on the progress made to keep Day Zero at bay.
Meanwhile, Gift of the Givers has committed itself to the people of the Western Cape through various planned interventions.
The NGO’s collection of 5-litre bottles of water has already begun through more than 70 collection points throughout South Africa.
Delivery of this water on two trucks to the SANDF military base at Fort Ikapa, Goodwood, started yesterday. It will be stockpiled and then distributed at the most appropriate time.
Drilling of boreholes, dependent on the state of aquifers, was also planned for Khayelitsha, Bonnievale, De Doorns, Ceres, Atlantis and Vredendal.
Gift of the Givers was considering buying its own borehole drilling rig at a cost of R2.5million to expedite the search for water in these
areas.
A list of institutions in urgent need of water, including homes for the elderly, orphanages and homes for the physically and mentally challenged, will be compiled and water will be delivered to them.
Any person who wants to contribute can visit www.giftofthegivers.org or call toll free 0800 786 777.