Knysna races to avert day zero

KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna is facing the real possibility of a "day zero" water shutdown as its primary water source continues to decline, leaving the town with only a 10-day water supply buffer.

Members of the Knysna Joint Operations Committee (JOC) addressed the media on Tuesday 13 January, assuring residents that contingency measures are being accelerated to prevent taps from running dry.

Mayor Thando Matika reiterated that the use of water in the municipal area far exceeds its current supply. Knysna is consuming about 12 million litres of water per day, while production remains below that level.

Residents have been urged to reduce consumption to 50 litres per person per day to stabilise the system.

Emergency water augmentation measures
Knysna's main water source, the Akker-kloof Dam, is currently only 15% full, down from a 13-day buffer recorded a week ago. In response, the JOC is focusing on short-term interventions to add water into the system.

These interventions include the development of several natural springs with good quality water, the refurbishment of seven existing municipal boreholes that require cleaning and new pumps, and the finalisation of an agreement with PG Bison to access seven boreholes located on private land. An additional agreement has also been reached to access water from a borehole at a local mosque.

Matika said the municipality expects seven additional boreholes to be operational within the next two weeks.

This will be supported by the replenishment of pumps, the appointment of additional plumbers, and the deployment of two to three rapid response teams to address urgent water-related challenges.

Tackling water loss and illegal connections
Matika revealed that Knysna is experiencing a total water loss of approximately 50%, much of which is unaccounted for. He stressed that this is not only due to leaks, pipe bursts, or ageing infrastructure.

"A significant portion of water loss is caused by the illegal bypassing of water meters," he said. "Wastage is much higher when consumers do not pay for the water they use."

To combat this, the municipality plans to install conventional water meters to prevent and eradicate illegal connections. The overall refurbishment and restoration costs linked to the water crisis are estimated at R58m.

Long-term planning and day zero contingency
As part of longer-term planning, Matika confirmed that the municipality is exploring the construction of a new dam. Drilling has already commenced to identify a suitable site for the development.

He explained that if day zero is reached, Knysna's water reticulation system would be shut down entirely, and residents would be required to collect water from designated tanks across the town.

Disaster declaration and fire risk
Western Cape Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell announced that he will approach the provincial cabinet to motivate for a provincial disaster declaration, citing the ongoing drought in the Southern Cape and the heightened wildfire risk.

"A disaster declaration will allow us to focus across departments and move funding quickly when needed," Bredell said. Should fires spread into Knysna, he said, all available resources would be mobilised to protect residents, infrastructure, and the town.

More than 100 000 hectares of land have already burned across the province this season, and with continued hot and dry conditions forecast, authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and conserve water as Knysna enters a critical period.

Read previous articles:

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’