Phase 3 of the Nooitgedagt project is back online after the Department of Water and Sanitation restored the budget to R93 million.

Contractors walked off site last week following an announcement by the department that it was slashing the budget by R34 million.

Sibongile Dimbaza, Mayor Spokesperson says the drought-stricken Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality had appealed to the department to reconsider this decision. “Thus, we welcome the commitment to recommence work from Monday.”

“This is an important development, confirmed verbally today by senior national water officials. Once Phase 3 comes online, the low level scheme will provide approximately 210 million litres of water to our Metro,”Dimbaza adds.

Dimbaza says the metro is still facing a critical water crisis with its western supply dams now at 25.67% capacity.

“We all need to continue saving water in whatever way we can. The Metro’s multi-pronged water turnaround strategy continues without hesitation, requiring each of us to use no more than 60 litres of water each day,”Dimbaza concludes.