Local Go, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
- What are the present water levels of reservoirs across the province, (b) what measures have been implemented to ensure that alternative and additional water sources are made available to areas under water stress, (c) what disaster drought measures are put in place and (d) what is his Department doing to ensure that emergency measures are implemented correctly by the various municipalities and towns?
The Department of Local Government (DLG - including its Disaster Management Division) works closely with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Local Municipalities to confirm the drought risk status for each municipality, town or settlement.
- The DWS’s weekly spread sheet, as supplied every Monday (the latest edition attached hereunder for convenience) reflect dam levels of mostly state-owned dams, as well as several municipal owned dams. Many of these dams are either solely supplying irrigation schemes or are of multi-sector use (predominantly irrigation with a small proportion of domestic industrial supply).
Most towns and/or settlements within the Province are supplied from a suite of water sources which includes own storage dams, joint storage dams, streams with weirs, groundwater (boreholes and fountains) and, in some cases, reverse osmosis treatment- and/or ultra-filtration works.
The present levels of dams across the Province that supplies water for domestic use are still in a good state, with minor risks of failure. Certain towns, like Ceres in the Witzenberg Municipality, may be challenged for supply. However, they do groundwater resources that they could use to augment their current supply. They also have successfully managed to attain water from private farm owners where water is pumped to their own storage dam in Tulbagh.
The areas that are indicated as moderate to high in terms of drought risks (that includes the City of Cape Town and the West Coast DM) receive the bulk of their supply through multi-sectoral schemes either owned by the DWS and/or City, and are managed on an integrated system approach and carefully monitored to optimise water use.
The table below indicated the Western Cape Dam levels:
(b) Most of the coastal towns within the Overberg and Eden Districts have, since the drought periods of 2008-2011, developed schemes to cater for longer-term growth and development, and counter for droughts. The Knysna and Bitou Municipalities are considering further bulk water supply schemes to minimise the interdependency on run-of-river abstraction.
Similarly, the towns within the Greater Karoo have developed alternative sources of water supply and are now predominantly supplied from groundwater resources and augmented by dams and ultra-filtration (treated water) works (as is the case in Beaufort West). The Gamka Dam in Beaufort West forms approximately 20% of the supply of the town, where groundwater forms 65% and the reuse of wastewater approximately 15%. Further groundwater development is planned.
(c) The ultimate responsibility to ensure water for domestic and industrial water use lies with the Water Services Authorities (municipalities) as per their Constitutional mandates. Both the DLG and the DWS oversee and support where and when assistance is requested by the municipalities.
The DWS has requested each Municipality to report on its status of supply/demand and the availability of emergency preparedness plans to abate drought risks and associated bylaws for implementation should moderate to severe restrictions be imposed.
The ultimate aim is to ensure water for human use first, whilst still ensuring job and food security second.
(d) My Department, in full collaboration with the DWS, is monitoring the situation closely to ensure that water supply will be secured and the necessary restrictions imposed in time to avert a crisis.
The Department of Local Government (DLG - including its Disaster Management Division) works closely with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Local Municipalities to confirm the drought risk status for each municipality, town or settlement.
- The DWS’s weekly spread sheet, as supplied every Monday (the latest edition attached hereunder for convenience) reflect dam levels of mostly state-owned dams, as well as several municipal owned dams. Many of these dams are either solely supplying irrigation schemes or are of multi-sector use (predominantly irrigation with a small proportion of domestic industrial supply).
Most towns and/or settlements within the Province are supplied from a suite of water sources which includes own storage dams, joint storage dams, streams with weirs, groundwater (boreholes and fountains) and, in some cases, reverse osmosis treatment- and/or ultra-filtration works.
The present levels of dams across the Province that supplies water for domestic use are still in a good state, with minor risks of failure. Certain towns, like Ceres in the Witzenberg Municipality, may be challenged for supply. However, they do groundwater resources that they could use to augment their current supply. They also have successfully managed to attain water from private farm owners where water is pumped to their own storage dam in Tulbagh
The areas that are indicated as moderate to high in terms of drought risks (that includes the City of Cape Town and the West Coast DM) receive the bulk of their supply through multi-sectoral schemes either owned by the DWS and/or City, and are managed on an integrated system approach and carefully monitored to optimise water use.
The table below indicated the Western Cape Dam levels:
(b) Most of the coastal towns within the Overberg and Eden Districts have, since the drought periods of 2008-2011, developed schemes to cater for longer-term growth and development, and counter for droughts. The Knysna and Bitou Municipalities are considering further bulk water supply schemes to minimise the interdependency on run-of-river abstraction.
Similarly, the towns within the Greater Karoo have developed alternative sources of water supply and are now predominantly supplied from groundwater resources and augmented by dams and ultra-filtration (treated water) works (as is the case in Beaufort West). The Gamka Dam in Beaufort West forms approximately 20% of the supply of the town, where groundwater forms 65% and the reuse of wastewater approximately 15%. Further groundwater development is planned.
(c) The ultimate responsibility to ensure water for domestic and industrial water use lies with the Water Services Authorities (municipalities) as per their Constitutional mandates. Both the DLG and the DWS oversee and support where and when assistance is requested by the municipalities.
The DWS has requested each Municipality to report on its status of supply/demand and the availability of emergency preparedness plans to abate drought risks and associated bylaws for implementation should moderate to severe restrictions be imposed.
The ultimate aim is to ensure water for human use first, whilst still ensuring job and food security second.
(d) My Department, in full collaboration with the DWS, is monitoring the situation closely to ensure that water supply will be secured and the necessary restrictions imposed in time to avert a crisis.
