Pools filled to benefit public

I write in response to the rather disingenuous allegations of irresponsible water use by the municipality through allowing its municipal pools to be topped up using hoses (“Municipal pools storm”, January 30).

It is absolutely correct that filling of swimming pools using hoses is contrary to the current water restriction conditions.

It is also so that a considered policy decision was taken that no pools would be closed over the summer tourism season and accepted that hoses would thus be used as necessary to top them up.

We aim to grow as a tourism destination and we believed (justifiably) that we could spare enough water to keep our pools topped up during our festive season, for the benefit of our tourists and, of course, our residents.

These are public pools that serve the public good.

However, the summer tourism season is now over and a decision had already been taken (before the newspaper article) that officials in our sport and recreation directorate would be asked to apply to top up our municipal pools using hoses and that they would have to motivate their applications fully.

In many cases, public pools are used by local schools to enable them to offer their pupils the opportunity to learn to swim and perhaps excel at it.

In other cases, pools are extremely popular for recreational purposes, both among residents and visitors.

All relevant factors will have to be taken into account when we consider each application.

We realise the seriousness of the water situation and we take it very seriously. We urge our residents to continue to report any form of water wastage to 0800-20-50-50.

Annette Lovemore, member of the mayoral committee for infrastructure, engineering, electricity and energy, NMBM