Worried about water

The Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (ICCIT) has been investigating the causes of the recent shortages and the way forward for residents.

ICCIT CEO Trenley Tilbrook said the chamber is concerned about the impact the water shortages had on the local economy especially from a tourism and investment perspective.

“While there are a number of initiatives in place to help market the North Coast as a hot destination, we need to ensure that basic supporting infrastructure is in place,” he said.

The chamber has formally engaged with relevant authorities and technical experts to get a better understanding of what happened and how the problem could be avoided in the future.

A steering committee comprising stakeholders; Umgeni Water, Siza Water, Ilembe District Municipality and ICCIT, was formed to monitor the progress.

Medium to long-term plans are being investigated and include supplying water south from the Tugela and the possibilities of a desalination plant.

“While noting that the water supply shortages were unacceptable and caused damage to business and the area’s image, the issues are not insurmountable and we must not stop promoting the North Coast and Ballito as the fastest growing destination in the country,” said Tilbrook.