The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has established its operating measures to safeguard water supply for the 2026/27 operating year, running from May 1 this year to April 30, 2027, for the uMngeni, North and South Coast water supply systems in KwaZulu-Natal.

This followed the completion of the department’s Annual Operating Analysis, which included analysis and consultations with stakeholders at the Stakeholders Operating Forum.

The uMngeni water supply system serves the area spanning Pietermaritzburg to Durban and from KwaDukuza (Stanger) in the north to Amanzimtoti in the south.

It includes the eThekwini metropolitan municipality, as well as the uMgungundlovu, Msunduzi and iLembe municipalities.

While the South Coast water supply system was at 97% storage at the start of the operating year, water demand is currently exceeding the long-term sustainable yield of the system.

Further, rainfall and runoff from October 2025 to April 2026 were lower than in the previous year, reducing the amount of water available.

To mitigate this, the department has implemented a 10% water supply restriction for the South Coast water supply system for the 2026/27 operating year, resulting in a total water supply of 13 megalitres a day.

“The restrictions are necessary to protect water resources and ensure a reliable supply throughout the operating year,” the DWS said in a statement, noting that it would continue to monitor the system and review the restrictions.

“They may be lifted if the water supply from the Mpambanyoni scheme is successfully reinstated, if South Coast dams reach full capacity and start spilling, or reduced if water supply from the South Coast pipeline is consistently maintained at 4.6 megalitres a day.”

Meanwhile, with the uMngeni water supply system starting the operating year at a storage level of 99.5%, no restrictions are required for the 2026/27 operating year.

However, reducing water use remains essential to ensure supply remains within infrastructure capacity for sustained operations and potable water quality, to bring use back within authorised limits and the system’s sustainable yield and to reduce the risk of future restrictions.

Similarly, no restrictions have been implemented for the North Coast water supply system, as Hazelmere dam, the system’s water source, was above full supply capacity at the start of the operating year.

“The DWS will continue integrating the system with the Lower Thukela bulk water supply system phase 2 to strengthen long-term water security and meet growing future demand,” the department said.

The DWS will continue to monitor water resources and system performance closely throughout the year and will adjust operating measures where necessary.

While storage levels in the uMngeni and North Coast systems remain favourable, all three systems continue to face increasing pressure from rising demand, climate variability, water losses and ageing infrastructure.