Despite a slight increase in dam levels which amounts to a combined percentage of 14.22%, the expected influx of tourists to the Kouga region during the busy festive period is set to put further pressure to the prevailing drought crisis in the area.
As previously reported by the Kouga Express, during his inauguration speech on November 17, Mayor Horatio Hendricks, who was re-elected alongside newly elected Deputy Mayor Hattingh Bornman, shared his 10-point plan for the next five years which he believed was “Kouga’s next chapter”.
Since the Kouga region was still in a prevailing drought, the biggest priority on Hendricks’ list was the need for sustainable water security in the area.
Hendricks said due to the influx of tourists to the region during the month of December, the expectation was that the water consumption was going to triple, especially in greater St Francis and Jeffreys Bay.
“I am very worried about this December with all the tourists which we cannot deny because we want them,” said Hendricks.
“I am also worried about where we will end up come January and whether we will have enough water for ourselves.”
Hendricks said as much as they have been searching and finding water, over the last two years they were only able to find 50% of the water consumption while the other 50% was still in the dams, which were empty.
“Part of our plan is not to search and find water for our current need but to make sure that we are sustainable in terms of water security going forward,” said Hendricks.
“We are going to come up with a comprehensive plan to make sure that we do not only find water but that we make it sustainable.”
He said they were therefore going to have to make some drastic changes.
“We do not want the next generation in 10 or 20 years down the line asking what we did in 2021 to make sure that we have water security,” said Hendricks.
According to Kouga infrastructure and engineering portfolio Councillor, Lorraine Maree, part of the drastic change was recently implemented when the Department of Water and Sanitation imposed a 70% and 85% restriction on the approved water quotas.
“Kouga can now only draw 30% of their annual water quota from its respective supply dams,” said Maree.
To ensure the region was sustainable in terms of water security going forward, Maree said they were prioritising water leaks and have placed numerous boreholes throughout the Kouga region which are already in use.
“With the water quota being lowered so dramatically, certain areas will run out of water from time to time and the boreholes will take a while to fill them. Water stations will then be available in these areas,” said Maree.
She said the municipality created an adjustment budget in August this year to have funds available for more boreholes and they had also applied for funding from Treasury.
In addition, she said they were looking into desalination for the future.
Regarding the influx of tourists to the region, Maree said additional boreholes would be connected soon and dedicated water stations would be placed at strategic places throughout Kouga.
She further said to ensure that tourists adhered to the 50 litres per day water allocation that had been implemented in the region, the municipality, together with the Business Chamber, were in contact with the tourism sector to create awareness over the festive season. “We will continue to have radio ads and radio loud-hailing,” said Maree.
“There are also information boards up in every town that indicate the water levels.”
Furthermore, she said they have asked communities to close communal taps and report water station tap theft.
Maree said a higher tariff was already in place for those who used above 15 units per month.
The current dam levels as of December 1, are as follows: Kouga 10.75%, Impofu 16.19%, Churchill 16.1% and Loerie 75.48%.
The combined percentage of the dams is 14.31%.
