Cape Town warns blackouts may affect water supply

“Load-shedding of this severity is likely to constrain our ability to provide water supply in the reticulation system across the whole of Cape Town in the usual way,” the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Department stated.

“Our pumps for both the water and sewerage systems cannot operate properly without power for significant periods. The nature or extent of the possible water supply interruptions is not yet known, but our operational teams are on full alert and the situation being monitored intensively.

“Residents should not panic, but please use water sparingly and prepare just in case they do experience a period of no water supply,” it added.

South Africa has been hit by a sixth straight day of rolling blackouts as state-owned power utility Eskom acts to prevent a total collapse of the grid after a raft of plant breakdowns. The company implemented a record level of cuts – 6 000 megawatts – late on Monday.

Eskom plans to cut 4,000 megawatts until 11 p.m. on Tuesday as it continues to face a shortage of generating capacity.

Heavy rains have soaked coal, which is used as fuel, and caused flooding at Eskom’s Kriel and Camden power stations, the utility said. South African Weather Service forecasts show rain in Mpumalanga, the province in which the electricity plants are located, will continue through Friday. Rainfall in Lephalale, near the giant Medupi plant, could reach as much as 25 mm (1 inch) on Tuesday, forecasts show.