Cape Town – Average dam levels in the Western Cape currently stand at 52.3% following the festive season.
Last year at this time, dam levels were at 27.8%.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said dams that supply the City are at 63.7%
“With regards to the ongoing drought in the Karoo region of the Western Cape, the situation remains serious, but no town has to date run out of water.
“Several ongoing interventions have been initiated successfully. This includes assisting with the successful maintenance of the water reticulation plant in Beaufort West over the high demand of new year’s weekend, as well as co-ordinating the delivery of bottled water to multiple regions at times of high demand.”
The department is co-ordinating all efforts in the Central Karoo and has deployed additional capacity in the form of engineers and geohydrologists to all the municipalities in the Central Karoo, and is working with other national and provincial entities to identify and implement immediate, medium and long-term solutions for sustainable water supply and management.
Authorities were, however, expecting some relief for the Beaufort West area, due to lower water demands with the end of the holiday season.
Bredell’s spokesperson, James-Brent Styan, said the situation remained serious in Beaufort West, which has been battling drought conditions over the last three to four years.
“The reticulation plant is however back online after a successful maintenance session over the new year’s weekend. That plant provides roughly 20% of the water to the town. We do expect some relief due to lower demand as the holiday season has ended.”
The municipality, however, said a fire broke out near the reclamation plant on Friday.
According to Beaufort West Municipal acting director Vuyokasi Ruiters, the cause of the fire was still unknown.
Fire Rescue workers in collaboration with Transnet and the District Disaster Management Centre worked for hours to stabilise the fire and by 6pm the fire was under control.
Ruiters said that the severe heat and wind played a major role, but fortunately Fire and Rescue Services managed to direct the wind away from the reclamation plant area, and no damage was caused to the electrical lines leading to the plant.
Mayor Noel Constable appealed to the community, and especially children, not to start open fires. The town is a drought-stricken area that cannot afford any fires and has to work sparingly with water, Constable said.
Constable thanked Transnet, the Fire Rescue team and the District Disaster Management Centre for their prompt response and support during the fire.