The Cape Town Water Crisis Coalition (WCC) has slammed a plan by the City of Cape Town to re-route the collection points for water from the Newlands spring in May.
News of the closure of 32 collection points and the creation of 16 new points has been widely criticised on social media, with Capetonians slamming the DA-run municipality saying they will be minimising access to free water.
This follows the distribution of an email on social media by Newlands councillor, Ian Iversen, to residents indicating that the City has now obtained permission from the national Water and Sanitation Department to close the springs in Spring Way and at South African Breweries.
According to the two different posts, which have been shared hundreds of times, Iversen allegedly stated the new site would be situated at Newlands Swimming Pool and that the current sites would be closed by 7 May.
It also says the new site will only be operational between 6am and 10pm each day.
This follows as residents complained about roads being blocked by cars and noisy people collecting water at all hours.
Shaheed Mahomed, of WCC, says this plan is “outrageous” and has sparked anger among Capetonians who are doing their utmost to save water.
“The WCC has continually called for all 70 springs in the city to be open to the public. This water is free and does not belong to the City, it belongs to the people and many residents have been using the spring water to supplement their municipal supply in the drought,” he says.
Mayco Member for Water and Waste Services, Xanthea Limberg, says the City is in discussions with the national Department of Water and Sanitation about the re-routing of the springs, but nothing has been finalised.
Asked why the number of water points are being reduced from 32 to 16, Limberg said: “There are currently eight water outlet points (spouts) at the spring site at SAB, and at the Kildare Road spring (in Springs Way, off Kildare Road) there is currently an unlawful structure which has been erected by a private individual which has about 26 water outlets. The proposed new site has more suitable access and will have 16 taps, and a management system.”
Limberg added that people could collect water as many times as they wish, but are limited to 25 litres at a time.