KNYSNA NEWSFLASH - Western Cape premier Helen Zille announced on Thursday, progress on interventions that the province is staging in municipalities, as part of the drought disaster declaration.
She was joined by local government MEC Anton Bredell and a team of expert officials.
Among these was Colin Deiner, the province’s head of disaster management, who said high-risk municipalities are considered to be Beaufort West, Kannaland, Knysna and Bitou.
“We are working with these municipalities to drill boreholes, equip pump stations and lay pipelines where required. Schools and hospitals in priority areas have also been identified for borehole drilling,” said Deiner, who had previously coordinated the largest disaster effort in the province’s history in June this year, following the Cape storm and fires in southern coastal areas.
Western Cape premier Helen Zille (left) and head of the Western Cape department of agriculture, Joyene Isaacs.
Interventions under way in Knysna include the upgrading of the Charlsford and Eastford supply schemes, refurbishing the local desalination plant, and “various demand management initiatives” – all to the tune of R140.5-million.
In neighbouring Bitou municipality, drilling and equipping of 12 boreholes is taking place, totalling R20.5-million.
“These municipalities have an estimated supply of approximately three months of water… In the case of Knysna, the system has historically allowed for only 90 days of reserves, but risk levels have heightened and supply interventions are under way,” said Deiner.
From left: Logal government MEC Anton Bredell, Westerhn Cape premier Helen Zille, Joyene Isaacs (Head of the Western Cape department of agriculture).
More details regarding these projects, their progress and the changes they will make to the water supply of Knysna and Bitou will be released in future following a query sent to the offices of the Western Cape, Thursday August 31.
ARTICLE: STEFAN GOOSEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST
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