Festive cheer a threat to dams

[caption id="attachment_233303" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth
Picture: Eugene Coetzee[/caption]

Bay abuzz with beachfront hotels fully booked, but tourists push up water consumption and don’t seem to care

While Nelson Mandela Bay is buzzing as hotels put up “fully booked” signs, its supply dams continue to dwindle at an alarming rate, with tens of thousands of holidaymakers pushing up consumption by as much as 20%.

With dam levels at an overall average percentage of only 28.1% on Thursday, the municipality and business sector have urged all water users, including holidaymakers, to use the resource sparingly.

However, despite pleas, hotel managers along the Bay’s beachfront say tourists are not playing their part.

Protea Marine marketing manager Prudence Zuma said: “They [tourists] have the philosophy that water is our problem, not theirs.” Zuma’s comments were shared by the Bay’s major hotel brands, with most agreeing the onus fell on all users to be water smart.

Protea Marine (114 rooms), Radisson Blu (173), Boardwalk Hotel (140), Garden Court (280), Town Lodge (203), City Lodge (147), Road Lodge (92), Courtyard (91) and Willows Resort and Willow Grove (72 chalets and 137 caravan spots) each said they were fully booked at some stage from yesterday until mid-January.

Last year it was estimated that in the region of 267 848 overnight visitors came to the Bay, spending in the region of R402-million.

“During the months of December, January and February, an increase in water consumption of 15-20% is experienced,” municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said.

“This allows for both the influx of tourists and the increased consumption as a result of the warmer weather conditions.”

Hotel managers said the industry was doing all it could to save water by asking guests to re-use towels, putting up water- wise stickers in rooms and bathrooms, and even going as far as installing flow restrictors on shower heads.

However, Zuma said: “The majority of our leisure guests are from inland cities, and they look at our water situation as our problem – a problem they believe isn’t their concern as they return home after their holiday. “We see it in our water usage during this time.

It is understandable that there are more people in the hotel, but the water usage is way too much for the number of people.”

Willows resort manager Marita Loftie-Eaton said: “We do all we can, but guests come for a seaside holiday and aren’t aware of the severity of the water problem. They see the ocean and assume there is water. “We have a policy of replacing towels every third day.

However, about 40% of the guests will request fresh towels daily or even walk to reception to swap out their old towels for new ones.

The guests just don’t seem to comprehend how bad the water situation is here.

“But the biggest problem is showers. After each swim, people are covered in sand and want to rinse off, with people showering as much as four times a day and for extended periods of time. However, we can’t stop them from doing that, nor can we time their showers.”

Radisson Blu deputy manager Mark Huppelschoten said: “As a group we implement several water- saving techniques which include flow restrictors on shower heads and monitoring the amount of towels used on a monthly basis versus water used.

If the towel usage exceeds a certain threshold there is a fine issued to that particular hotel. “However, being on a seaside holiday, guests tend to shower in the morning, go to the beach, return and shower again before heading out and then showering again at night.

So as much as we try to curb water usage, it comes down to the users, who are not always as considerate.”

Tourism expert Peter Myles said: “It is a tough situation as the city requires both tourism and water.

However, a move to more responsible tourism is required as is illustrated around the world as tourists begin to realise the impact they have on destinations they visit. “This type of approach needs to be driven by the holiday destinations.

It is, however, a sort of catch-22 as businesses need to be responsible but also ensure their guests have a good time in order for them to return.”

Asked what has been done in preparation for the season to curb excessive usage, Mniki said: “The NMBM has an extensive water- saving campaign in place and all citizens are encouraged, with the tourists, to remain vigilant and use water sparingly.

“Pamphlets and notices have been placed in almost all establishments.” Asked if stricter curbs would be implemented in the new year, Mniki said: “Water consumption and dam levels are monitored daily, informing the way forward on future restrictions.

The situation will determine the time and type of restrictions.”

In March, the municipality announced it would confront 1 200 households – part of the Bay’s 1.152 million residents across its 60 wards – responsible for consuming 223Ml of the metro’s 8 790Ml monthly water use.

“More than 1 000 high users were identified. Some of these houses had leaks, which were repaired, and others were informed to reduce consumption,” Mniki said this week.

“At some of these, new meters were installed and flow restricted. In addition, high users are charged higher tariffs.”

However, no immediate relief is on the cards for the Bay, with South African Weather Service senior forecaster Garth Sampson saying no significant rain is expected for the rest of the year.

“The seasonal forecast is for near normal to below normal rainfall – this, however, does not mean that we can’t get one or two days of good rainfall,” he said.

“However, an exceptional rainfall event is needed to make any impact on the dams. But this is generally the dry season as fronts are further south.”

Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Nomkhita Mona said it was important that a different mindset was used when it came to how water was being used.

“The influx of tourists – which brings much-needed revenue into the city – will definitely have an impact. It is important that all tourists – and citizens alike – a re sensitised and educated about the need to use water sparingly.”