MOSSEL BAY NEWS - While the average dam levels in the Western Cape currently are at 51% (2018: 26.5%), Mossel Bay has not been as hard hit as the rest of the province.
However, water levels in local dams are lower than before the December holidays, a clear indication that the summer heat and influx of tourists took their toll.
Mossel Bay's potable water comes from the Wolwedans Dam on the outskirts of Great Brak River.
On 14 January this dam was at 70.16% (5 November 2018 - 75.47%), with water levels in the much smaller Ernst Robertson Dam at 100% (5 November 2018 - 94.59) and Klipheuwel dam 65.18% (5 November 2018 - 73.23%).
The Hartebeestkuil Dam, that supplies water to farmers in the area, is just about empty.
Farmers in the greater Mossel Bay area have on several occasions been beneficiaries of drought relief from disaster relief organisations such as Gift of the Givers, as well as from farmers in the Overberg and elsewhere.
Individuals, such as Burre Burger, have made repeated contributions towards drought relief, working with local businesses such as Mossel Bay Nissan.
At the end of 2018 the Mossel Bay Municipality reiterated its call for residents to use water sparingly, and to effect at least a 10% saving in water consumption.
"We again ask residents and visitors to our town to save water," Mossel Bay Municipality spokesperson Colin Puren said.
The municipal manager, Advocate Thys Giliomee warned that no water will be allowed to be released from the Wolwedans Dam to breach the Great Brak River should the water level drop to below 70%. "Water in the Wolwedans Dam is managed by the Department of Water and Sanitation," he said.
Situation in the Karoo
The Western Cape Provincial Government has to date spent several million rands on drought relief, also in the neighbouring Karoo, where a devastating drought is being experienced.
According to a press release by the MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Minister Anton Bredell, the situation in the Karoo remains serious: "But we want to reiterate that to date no town has run out of drinking water.
"Over the past weekend there was a statement circulating, stating that Kannaland Municipality has run out of water. This is incorrect.
"There was a short, temporary technical challenge due to maintenance that had to be done on the town's water treatment plant.
"That work was completed by Saturday evening, thanks to the efforts from the provincial Department of Local Government, assisted by technicians from Oudtshoorn."
Contact provincial government
"We want to reiterate our repeated request: please contact the provincial government directly when concerned about water challenges.
"The provincial government has multiple contingencies in place and is in charge of coordinating all relief efforts.
"We also want to urge relief agencies and others, who may be contacted for help, to also refer all calls relating to drought challenges to the provincial government first.
"This has been the understanding with our partners and we would value such collaboration, moving forward," Minister Bredell urged.
Drought interventions
The Department of Local Government in the Western Cape is coordinating the relief efforts in Central Karoo.
Some of the more recent ongoing interventions the province has initiated successfully include:
• By 31 March 2019 the department will have spent R78.2 million on drought alleviation projects around the entire province.
This includes multiple boreholes that have been drilled and outfitted.
Other projects include:
• In Laingsburg: construction of a bulk pipeline between the Zoutkloof Spring and the main reservoir as well as the equipping and electricity connection and connection of two boreholes to the Zoutkloof line.
In addition, rehabilitation of the Zoutkloof spring remains ongoing. This work started in November 2018.
• In Matjiesfontein: installation of a borehole pump and Eskom connection provided.
• Assisting with the successful maintenance of the water reticulation plant in Beaufort West over the New Year weekend, when there was high demand, as well as coordinating the delivery of bottled water to multiple regions at times of high demand.
• Deploying additional capacity in the form of engineers and geohydrologists to the Central Karoo.
• The department is working with other national and provincial stakeholders to identify and implement immediate, medium and long term solutions for sustainable water supply and management.
Read a related article: Drought is the 'new normal' in WC
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