The shortage of clean drinking water in Nelson Mandela Bay is threatening to adversely affect the 2010 Fifa World Cup in the region.

The Nelson Mandela metropolitan municipality has admitted it could run out of water before the soccer event, saying it is preparing a “crisis plan” to address the problem.

The plan is set to be finalised next month, when details will be revealed. This admission comes as the critical water shortage worsens by the day, with the municipality being blamed for failing to implement restrictions agreed on seven months ago.

Tensions over the issue are close to boiling point, with the Gamtoos Irrigation Board saying Port Elizabeth is in a “very scary” situation.

It has accused the municipality of drawing way over its daily allocation from the critically low Loerie Dam and placing the city’s water supply in jeopardy.

Last week, the board threatened to cut the supply after the council again exceeded its allocated amount.

Gamtoos board CE Pierre Joubert said yesterday the three parties (the municipality, the board and the department of water affairs) had come to a consensus at a meeting on July 22, but the municipality only started its water restrictions in October. However, the municipality says water restrictions are not the first action of a drought campaign.

Joubert also said the municipality has on occasion drawn up to double its water allocation from the almost dry Loerie Dam. He said since July the municipality had only been allowed an average of 54000 kilolitres a day .

“From July last year until now the municipality had drawn an average of 78000 kilolitres a day,” said Joubert.

“After several warnings they have brought this down. On two occasions they even drew water until the dam was at 20%. We were forced to pump more water in. They even blamed us for allowing them to draw so much.”

The municipality admitted it had exceeded its allocation.

“This was as a result of high water demands. The matter has been discussed with water affairs and new targets have been set. These remain a challenge and the call is made to all water users to cut back on consumption,” said municipal spokesperson Kupido Baron.