KOUGA will be without water within the next five to six months if drastic measures are not taken to avoid Day Zero – especially with only 12 weeks of water left for Gamtoos Valley.
The Kouga Dam, the only source of water for the Gamtoos Valley, is at 12.3% capacity.
In a bid to secure additional water, Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, urged the Department of Water and Sanitation to have all drought projects declared essential services in order for Kouga Municipality to legally complete work in line with current legislation.
This includes equipping and connecting the viable boreholes to the existing water system: Hankey (seven), Humansdorp (seven), Jeffreys Bay (four), Patensie (two) and Oyster Bay (two).
Hankey is at the top of the priority list.
“The contractors working on the drought relief projects are not allowed to work during lockdown and had to leave site,” says Hendricks. “This means the projects are already a month behind schedule, while dam levels are dropping fast.
“While the amended regulations allow for such projects to continue, there are other safety and regulatory matters that need to be addressed before work can commence. For example, some contractors come from other provinces but are not allowed to travel to the Eastern Cape in terms of the current regulations.
“We are waiting for a directive on this from the Department of Water and Sanitation.”
Hendricks says, “At a time when water is essential in the fight against Covid-19, a lack of water will be a double blow for residents.
“We are dealing with a health crisis that is soon going to turn into a humanitarian crisis – and there will for certain be deaths. If government does not intervene soon, they will have blood on their hands.”
According to him, should Gamtoos Valley run out of water, water will be trucked in from Humansdorp. There are also about 100 rainwater tanks in the area, which will be used for rainwater harvesting and as water points.
Drought disaster funding
The municipality has spent R109 million (72%) of its R151 million drought disaster funding and still has R42 million available.
The remaining funds have been committed to projects that were due for completion by mid-June 2020, but have now stalled due to the national lockdown regulations.
Apart from groundwater development projects (boreholes), the Water Conservation and Demand Management (WCDM) projects include the replacement of about 1 800 faulty water meters, the instalment of approximately 4 000 bulk meters and the repair of water leaks at homes in disadvantaged areas.
The Jeffreys Bay Water Treatment Plant is furthermore being upgraded to cater for additional borehole water, while the augmentation of the Kruisfontein water supply will see other water sources – for example springs – connected to the system.
Water pipes lines and old water pipes were also replaced at Oyster Bay, Hankey and Patensie.
“Kouga is still considered a drought disaster area and water restrictions and punitive tariffs remain in place, says Hendricks. “We implore all residents and businesses to continue using water sparingly. It is a precious resource and something we cannot live without. Do not waste it. Make every drop count.”
- Kouga receives its bulk supply of water from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
The metro’s combined dam levels currently stand at 22.02% capacity. The Kouga Dam is at 12.13%, followed by the Impofu Dam at 16.45%. The Loerie Dam is at 28.85%, Groendal Dal at 36.72% and the Churchill Dam at 68.65%.
