Nelson Mandela Bay gets lucky this year. Thanks to all the cold fronts, the bay has received as much rain as it needs. Bay Dams are quickly filling up. This 2011 winter has come to be one of the best winters. Last year the whole of Eastern Cape was in a drought. People witnessed one of the longest droughts in history.
There were even water restrictions in place. The Mandela Bay Municipality lifted the water restriction on seeing that there was enough water. People will want to waste this water, so the municipality has increased the water tariffs.
Having less water in dams was a very big concern for Bay residents. They were not allowed to use sprinklers or wash their cars. Huge billboards were placed all over the area telling people to save their water. There was constant updates of how much water is left in the dams.
Although we needed the rain, it became too much. It has flooded houses leaving people misplaced and others homeless. It ruined the infrastructure as well such as the bridge in Cape St Francis. It has done more good than bad though.
