We frequently come across complaints about water cuts. It is certainly a headache to open the tap and find there is no water – which is, after all, a very basic and essential need because every aspect of our lives revolves around water.

I have, therefore, two recommendations to make:

First, ensure that the public affected by a planned water cut is well informed in advance. This can easily be done by putting up notices (hard copies) in the streets that are to be affected by such cuts. Perhaps flyers can also be posted to the affected households.

Second, there should be water bowsers going around the affected areas during the water cut itself. In this manner, those people who may find themselves short of water can easily make use of the water bowsers free of charge.

I think that in this manner, the level of discomfort the people affected by a water cut are likely to suffer would be minimised.