Port Elizabeth: MyPE - The Boardwalk Clamps Down on Water Usage

www.MyPE.co.za: The recent spell of rainy weather has not prevented the resumption of water restrictions in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. For residents, the water restrictions prohibit the use of hosepipes and sprinkler systems for private gardens; but for large tourism outlets such as The Boardwalk, the cutbacks could be fairly severe.

Yet The Boardwalk has acted swiftly and responsibly to the restrictions set by the municipality, and is doing it with gusto.

"We are aiming to reduce our monthly consumption by 40 percent," said Boardwalk Maintenance Manager, Tony van Goeverden. "This is the third water restriction in the nine years of The Boardwalk's existence, so we are prepared and will comply with the municipality's outlines." The usage of sprinklers using municipal water has been stopped, with the municipal main supply to the system disconnected and locked. The only operational sprinklers The Boardwalk visitors may see is those on the front lawn on Marine Drive. "The front sprinklers are supplied with tanks containing wastewater from The Boardwalk," said van Goeverden.

All hosepipes on the premises have been removed and locked away to avoid accidental usage, and Boardwalk gardening staff will now water The Boardwalk's pot plants with hand-held watering cans and containers. The watering of grass is prohibited by the complex.

The municipality has also restricted the "topping up or filling fountains, ornamental ponds and the like" – and as The Boardwalk's centre attraction is its large man-made lake and waterfalls, The Boardwalk has a solution to this problem too.

"We have switched off the automatic top-up supply from the municipal line and are now filling the lake with water from the borehole that is located on the complex premises," said van Goeverden.

The Boardwalk is acclaimed by visitors for its clean and hygienic facilities, and The Boardwalk has confirmed that it will not compromise on this standard. "The automatic urinal flushing systems have been disconnected and dedicated cleaners will be cleansing the urinals every hour or two," said van Goeverden. The Boardwalk's hygienic services service provider, Khangela Hygiene and Industrial Services, have replaced all high pressure cleaning equipment with mops and buckets.

Visitors to The Boardwalk are also encouraged to utilise water reduction measures while at the complex, with water-saving signage in bathrooms and on the poster boards.