KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna municipal staff have been working around the clock to address the potable water challenges affecting the Hornlee residential area.

Municipal manager Lulamile Mapholoba said residents had been experiencing intermittent water outages recently.

"The municipality's water teams are working tirelessly to resolve the issue. Two issues are affecting supply.

'Growth in households'

"The first is the substantial growth in formal and informal households in the area that have increased demand on the potable water network."

He said the increased pressure has caused reduced storage times at the three reservoirs serving the area - Bigai, Sunridge, and Noetzie - and has left minimal buffer capacity to manage breakdowns or equipment failures.

'System vandalised'

"The situation has also been exacerbated by vandalism of the Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) system, a critical tool for monitoring reservoir levels.

"Incorrect readings have caused reservoirs to run dry, while the high demand and limited capacity have made restoring water levels both prolonged and challenging."

Mapholoba said several pipe bursts in the area have placed even more strain on the network.

Interventions

He said short-, medium-, and long-term interventions had been implemented to address the water challenges.

Short-term measures:

• Potable water is being delivered to streets without supply via water trucks until reservoir levels are restored; and
• A service provider has been appointed to repair the Scada system.

Medium-term measures:

• Preventative maintenance is being undertaken to replace underperforming pumps and motors, enhancing system reliability; and
• The water network is being optimised by reducing flow to areas with sufficient water to ensure better distribution across the network.

Long-term measures:

• Upgrades to the water pipelines are under way, including the pipeline from the Sunridge reservoir to the Noetzie reservoir, and the Vigilance Drive to the Bigai reservoir pipeline, to increase capacity and reliability; and
• Upgrades to the water reticulation network in Hornlee are also ongoing as part of efforts to minimise water losses. "This project has already progressed to its second phase," Mapholoba said.

'Top priority'

He assured residents that the water challenges in Hornlee remain a top priority: "We are deeply aware of the inconvenience caused by the water outages and are committed to resolving these issues as swiftly and effectively as possible.

"The measures we have implemented aim to stabilise the water supply in the short term and ensure long-term reliability for the community."

The municipality urges residents to use water sparingly during this period and appreciates their patience and understanding as these essential upgrades and repairs are carried out. 

Further updates will be provided as the situation progresses.

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