SEDGEFIELD NEWS - Large parts of Sedgefield remain without water following power outages in the area last week, with residents relying on tanker deliveries as reservoir levels are expected to take several days to recover.
According to the latest statement from Knysna Municipality regarding the issue, water production at the treatment works is ongoing, but reservoir levels will require four to seven days to stabilise fully.
As a result, normal water supply to Smutsville, Cola and Myoli Beach will only be restored once sufficient capacity has been regained. Some low-lying areas continue to receive limited supply through borehole systems.
The municipality said it is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as more information becomes available. Water tankers have been deployed to assist affected communities in the interim.
Meanwhile, the DA in Knysna has called for accountability in a statement describing the prolonged outage as avoidable.
The party said the disruption was triggered by a storm-related electricity failure linked to last week’s power outages in the area, but alleged that the extent of the outage could have been mitigated had critical backup infrastructure been operational.
According to the DA, a backup generator at the Sedgefield water facility was not functioning at the time of the outage, despite previous requests for maintenance. The party further claimed that a similar outage had occurred the week before, but that no repairs had been carried out.
“A working generator could have allowed water pumps to continue operating during the power outage and prevented reservoirs from running dry,” the DA said.
The party acknowledged that the deployment of water tankers has provided some relief, but argued that the emergency response came at a high and avoidable cost.
The DA has formally requested that the acting municipal manager initiate a full investigation, including a consequence management process, and has called for improved infrastructure maintenance and planning.
Among its proposals are regular infrastructure audits, the introduction of preventative maintenance programmes, and increased investment in pumps, pipelines, reservoirs and backup power systems.
The municipality was contacted for comment regarding the DA’s allegations and their response will be published once received.
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