JOHANNESBURG - Rand Water has formally notified three of its municipal customers of its intention to reduce water pressure due to their non-payment for water services rendered, the water supply utility, the largest in Africa, said.
The water pressure to the Ngwathe local municipality in the Free State would be reduced by 20 percent on Monday, should the municipality fail to settle the arrears amount due to Rand Water, the company said in a statement.
The arrears amount due by the municipality was R2,816,117. The total amount owed by the Ngwathe local municipality to Rand Water was R5,239,395.
The Govan Mbeki local municipality in Mpumalanga had an overdue amount due to Rand Water of R47 million as arranged with the municipality. The municipality had been informed that its failure to pay the amount due would compel Rand Water to further reduce the flow of water supply by 20 percent on Monday. This was in addition to the 40 percent water reduction currently being implemented. The total amount owed to Rand Water by the municipality was R245,890,637.
The Madibeng local municipality in the North West had also been informed that should it fail to pay R10,501,676 Rand Water would reduce the flow of water supply by a further 20 percent on Monday. The total amount due by the municipality to Rand Water was R14,730,371.
The defaulting municipalities were aware that the offices of the minister for human settlements, water and sanitation, the respective provincial MECs for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, and the National Treasury had been informed of the intended implementation of the credit control measures, the statement said.