The City of Johannesburg has announced that it will implement strict water restriction tariffs in order to promote responsible water in light of the ongoing drought.

The city has urged its customers to reduce their water consumption in order to avoid level 2 restrictions, where a water restriction tariff will be applied to those who have higher water usage.

The water restriction tariff will be imposed on users who consume more than 20 kilolitres per month, with the cost increasing as the usage increases. The average household uses roughly 30 kiloliters of water per month.

The level 2 water restrictions also indicate that all customers are compelled not to:

• water and irrigate their gardens between 6 am and 6 pm
• fill swimming pools with municipal water
• use hosepipes to wash cars, paved areas etc.

Residents who use between 15 and 20 kl can expect to pay R17.65. Those who consume 20 to 30 kl will pay R26.43. Between 30 and 40 kl will cost R30.97 and 40 kl and upwards will pay an additional R41.95 per kilolitre.

City spokesperson Kgamanyane Maphologela said the restrictions are an attempt to ensure that South Africans don’t waste water.

This move by the City of Johannesburg follows other Gauteng municipalities who have implemented similar water restrictions. Gauteng is the only province in the country not declared a disaster area due to the ongoing drought.