Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning:
(1) What (a) is the background and (b) are the contents of the court order by which the Cederberg Municipality was ordered to remove all its equipment from the borehole or boreholes that are currently the main source or sources of water for Lamberts’ Bay;
(2) (a) whether there was or is an over-abstraction of water from these boreholes and (b) if so, what are the potential consequences for the environment;
(3) to what extent his Department is cooperating with the national Department of Water and Sanitation in monitoring the extraction rates from all boreholes in the area between Citrusdal, Clanwilliam and the coast;
(4) whether the current extraction rates are deemed to be sustainable; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
6.1 [a] Lamberts Bay obtains bulk water directly from two [2] boreholes [OD00514 and LR1]. These two [2] boreholes have been drilled in the “Wadrif” wellfield, situated 15 km to the south of Lamberts Bay, on a farm owned by a Trust. An agreement between the Trust and the Municipality, on the abstraction of water, has expired and is subject to an existing court ruling to be implemented coming 01 June 2022.
[b] Judgement delivered in the Western Cape Division of the High Court in the matter between the Trust v Cederberg Municipality dated
23 November 2021; the Court ordered, amongst other things, that the Municipality “remove all works, including all pumps, motors and installations, utilised in respect of a borehole” on the property of the Trust, and “the complete rehabilitation of the portions of the property on which such works are utilised”.
However, after interventions from the Western Cape Department of Local Government [DLG] and the Department of Water and Sanitation [DWS], an interim verbal agreement was reached with Applicants’ attorneys, allowing the Cederberg Municipality to continue with water extraction at the above-mentioned borehole based on:
i] the approval of an amended court judgement; and
ii] additional conditions: logistical monitoring and remuneration structure outlined within a renewed and extended extraction agreement between the Cederberg Municipality and the private landowners.
6.2[a] Yes, there was an overextraction of water from the boreholes. The existing extraction figures are as follows:
i] On the farm Portion 6/229: borehole LR1:
- FY 2021: 421,540 m³
- Up to April 2022: 108,668 m³
Ii] On the farm Portion 3/229: borehole OD00514
- FY 2021: 309,520 m³
- Up to April 2022: 135,330 m³
The annual water need of Lamberts Bay is 930,433.50 m³. From the above it is derived that approximately 57,66% for the year 2021, and approximately 44,54%, for the period 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2022, of the water was withdrawn from Portion 6/229: borehole LR1 and that with strict water measures Lamberts Bay will be able to survive.
The future commissioning of the planned refurbished desalination plant will be further assessed [due diligence / commercial feasibility analysis] by the relevant stakeholders within the next few weeks.
Geo-hydrology reports indicate a secondary well field located approximately 5 km north-east of Lamberts Bay, which could supply an additional 385 842,96 m³ water per annum. Securing water usage licenses with the DWS: National are in process of evaluation and approval.
[b] There is no foreseen risk to either the environment and/or water quality in the region.
6.3 High level interactions and good working relations between the Cederberg Municipality, DWS: National & Regional and WC: DLG exist at present. In collaboration with DWS, DLG, Cederberg Municipality and the Farmer, interim solutions are sought at least for the next year during which alternative water sources can be considered and possibly brought to line. Ongoing assessment and management of borehole extraction operations, including input from departmental geo-hydrologists; ensure that borehole extraction is well managed and that all statutory regulations / water usage licenses are adhered to.
6.4 Yes, current extraction rates are deemed sustainable linked to
i] geo-hydrology monitoring and “on-site” assessments conducted by departmental geo-hydrologists in the specific jurisdiction area of the Cederberg Municipality; and
Ii] in line with National / Statutory guidelines and extraction signed agreements [municipality and landowners].
