Premier reviews water upgrades

KNYSNA NEWS - Western Cape’s premier, Alan Winde, visited the Charlesford Pump Station this week while in Knysna for the official opening of the new Hornlee Clinic and the Rheenendal e-Centre.

Accompanied by Mayor Thando Matika, senior municipal officials, engineers and technical staff, Winde toured the facility to look into the progress on interventions aimed at improving the municipality’s water infrastructure and service delivery.

Pump upgrades under way
The municipal engineers reported that pump set 1 was successfully installed and commissioned on 6 June and is now fully operational. The newly installed unit is contributing to the town’s water supply and forms part of broader efforts to stabilise the system. Pump set 2 has remained operational for more than a year, although it continues to function at a reduced capacity.

The officials further explained that pump set 3 has reached the end of its service life and can no longer be repaired. A replacement pump has already been ordered and is expected to be delivered, installed and commissioned within the next seven weeks, subject to manufacturing and delivery timelines.

According to the municipality, the combined output from pump sets 1 and 2 is currently sufficient to meet Knysna’s daily water demand. This means there is no immediate need to augment water supply from Akkerkloof, providing some relief while further infrastructure upgrades are completed.

Infrastructure recovery efforts
The visit formed part of ongoing support provided through the Section 154 Diagnostic and Support Plan, which focuses on addressing critical service delivery challenges and strengthening municipal operations.

The officials used the opportunity to brief the premier on the progress that had been made at the pump station, a key component of Knysna’s water supply network.

The discussions centred on infrastructure recovery efforts, operational improvements and measures aimed at ensuring a more reliable and sustainable water supply for residents.

Recognising maintenance teams
The visit coincided with International Maintenance Day, which highlighted the important role of preventative maintenance and infrastructure investment to ensure reliable municipal services.

The officials acknowledged the contributions of the engineers, artisans, operators and maintenance teams whose work they said often takes place behind the scenes, but remains essential to keep critical infrastructure operational.

The municipality said it remains committed to restoring and maintaining resilient infrastructure that will support sustainable service delivery and improve long-term water security across the greater Knysna area.

Municipal engineers reported that pump set 1 was successfully installed and commissioned on 6 June and is now fully operational. Photo: Knysna Municipality