By: Bianca Chetty

Due to insufficient rainfall in KwaZulu-Natal, water restrictions had to be implemented in several areas including Ballito and surrounding areas in the north coast.

The restrictions were put into place as of June 2015 and enforced with fines. Restaurants have been one of the most affected businesses in this regard.

Many of which often serve free tap water upon request, however with the water restrictions put in place restaurants are now starting to stop this custom, which results in customers
having to now pay for water as well.

Mr Eddie Edwards, a customer took to the Facebook page: “Durban Restaurants   the good, the bad and the nasty”.

“Last week I went at Zara’s Cafe in Ballito and ordered a coffee and a glass of water.

I was told they no longer served glasses of water due to the water shortages and would have to pay R6 for a bottle of water,” explained Edwards.

However many residences of the Ballito area agreed with Zara’s new policy.

Caryn-Leigh Govender, replied to the post and said: “Zara’s is not the only restaurant in Ballito and surroundings that charges for water since we’ve been hit with restrictions.

It’s a case of everyone doing their bit where they can. I applaud Zara’s and many others for helping in the water crisis we face on the north coast.”

Clint Griffin a Facebook user responded: “I’ve been to places in Ballito during restrictions and they can’t serve coffee either because they have no water. There is a drought people, be
realistic.”

Alexia Loizides the senior manager at Zara’s Cafe said that they had been instructed to cut their water consumtion by 50% which is difficult when running a restaurant as most food
preparation requires water.

“We serve around 60 cups of coffee a day and it got to a point where we were using Valpre water to wash the dishes…we get the bottled water in at R5.80 and we sell it at cost to
compensate,” said Loizides.

Loizides explained that the water that they are now receiving through the faucet is actually recycled and that they do not find it fit for human consumption which is another reason that
they do not serve the water to customers.

“We’re actually losing out because customers that would normally come in for bottled water are now opting for the cheaper option,” concluded Loizides.

Management also stated that this policy will have to remain in place until the water rationing is over.