If you’re a Johannesburg resident using more than 20 000 litres a month, you will be paying between 10% and 30% more on your water bill beginning this month.

This is according to Joburg Water, which announced the introduction of these water tariffs today at its offices in the Joburg CBD.

Joburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure services, Anthony Still, said the water levels in the integrated Vaal River System, which supplies the city, have dropped below the required 60% threshold as the Vaal Dam itself is currently only 35% full.

This is due to the ongoing drought and unseasonal heat, factors which both trigger mandatory drought mitigation measures on water usage.

“When the tariffs were approved by the city for the 2016/17 financial year which commenced in July, water restriction tariffs were approved to be implemented only if necessary,” Still said.

“This is now the case and these tariffs will apply from September until the drought situation is over,” he added.

Still said while Joburg Water and the municipality cannot give a definite prognosis on when they expect the drought to be over, reports from experts estimate it should pass between late November and early December.

How much will you pay?

Joburg Water’s Lungile Dlamini said the tariff increase will mostly affect middle to high income households, as poorer households are exempt from water tariffs.

The estimated number of households under this category which will be affected is about 300 000. Dlamini added that these households are typically ones which use the most water in the city to water gardens, fill pools and wash cars.

“The restriction tariffs are imposed in a stepped manner: 10% extra on consumption between 20 000 litres and 30 000 litres a month; 20% on consumption between 30 000 and 40 000 litres a month; and 30% on consumption above 40000 litres a month,” Still said.

Below is a table which breaks down exactly how much more you’ll be paying starting this month, 1 kilolitre = 1 000 litres.

Last year, the City of Cape Town introduced similar tariff increases due to low river supply levels

Water usage reduced by 15%

Joburg Water will also reduce water usage by 15% with immediate effect, as ordered by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

“Johannesburg Water was notified by Rand Water, its bulk supplier on 24th August that it would be reducing supply by 15% effective from 6th September 2016,” Still said.

“This will be achieved by governing the flow of water through the bulk water supply meters of Johannesburg Water. It will be managed in a dynamic manner as the supply areas have different sensitivity characteristics and a straight 15% across all meters will cause outages in some areas,” he added.

Level 2 water restrictions, implemented last year, are still in place and the city hopes that together with the restrictions, tariffs and usage reductions, residents will adhere and save more water.