The Knysna Municipality is 13 days away from Day Zero at its main supplier- the Akkerkloof Dam.
The dam is running empty, now at only 20%.
The Balancing Dam is currently at an estimated 90%.
There has been little to zero rainfall, extremely low river flows, against high consumption levels.
Light rainfall forecast by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) in the coming days, is not expected to change the situation.
Thando Matika, the Mayor of Knysna, said “with no meaningful rainfall in sight and only about 13 days of water remaining in the system from Akkerkloof Dam, this is no longer a warning, it is a crisis. Community cooperation is no longer optional; it is absolutely critical.”
So a joint committee met up on Tuesday this week, to chart a way forward.
Members are the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the Western Cape Department of Local Government, Knysna Municipality, the Breede–Olifants Catchment Management Agency (BOCMA), and the Garden Route District Municipality.
Urgent interventions include the issuing of letters to the top 100 water users, to reduce.
The town is also planning on stepping up water conservation and demand management initiatives, such as regulating car wash businesses, mobilising trained local community plumbers to identify and repair leaks.
Should all else fail, Level 5 water restrictions and water rationing, may be introduced.
Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, agrees, “the Joint Operations Committee has confirmed that Knysna’s water supply is at a critical point. All spheres of government are working closely together and have intensified interventions, but without an immediate and sustained reduction in water use, these efforts will not be enough. Water security is a shared responsibility, and every resident, business, and visitor must act now to help protect the limited supply that remains.”
Picture: Supplied