The water crisis in Knysna remains critical as the town teeters on the edge of a potential day zero, when municipal taps could run dry without immediate and sustained action.
Gift of the Givers has supplied emergency water since December, using two tanker trucks and a trailer to deliver water to the hardest-hit areas in Knysna, Brenton and Sedgefield.
Dam levels are dangerously low and emergency measures are intensifying while political debates over management persist. Community concern peaked with a prayer gathering on January 11, where locals called for co-operation and decisive steps to be taken.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde visited Akkerkloof Dam, Knysna’s main bulk-water source, this month, telling the Knysna-Plett Herald the provincial cabinet will decide soon on whether to declare Knysna a provincial disaster area, which would unlock more resources and support.
Winde said he was satisfied with emergency steps being carried out by the municipality, but emphasised the need for responsible water use by residents. The town remains under level 4 water restrictions that limit households to 6 kilolitres a month (about 50 litres per person daily in a four-person household). Municipal use is restricted to essential human consumption, banning gardening, vehicle washing, boat cleaning or filling pools. Businesses have been told to cut consumption by 50%, with heavy fines, punitive tariffs and flow restrictors enforced for noncompliance.
While Knysna is the most critical area, the shortage also affects Plettenberg Bay, Nature’s Valley, and nearby Karoo towns such as Calitzdorp.
Knysna mayor Thando Matika says the municipality is co-ordinating with district, provincial and national structures. He says he will welcome a provincial state of disaster, and rejects claims that the municipality blocked higher-level aid, saying this was “incorrect and misleading”.
Dam levels are dangerously low and emergency measures are intensifying
The scarcity of water in Knysna has worsened over years across different political administrations. It’s now fuelling political friction between the ruling ANC-led coalition and DA opposition.
The council unanimously declared a local disaster on January 16, enabling intergovernmental support. Matika says this led to interventions, with local government, environmental affairs & development planning MEC Anton Bredell engaging with the council on December 15.
However, DA chief whip Sharon Sabbagh says the coalition rejected an earlier provincial intervention attempt. On December 12, she warned of the risk of day zero, citing water losses, failing pumps, sewage spills, declining services and emergency spending as signs of collapse.
On the ground, Knysna’s precarious water situation is clear. Akkerkloof Dam is at about 19.6% capacity. At present consumption rates, this equates to about 10 days of water remaining in the bulk supply system. Glebe Dam, at about 60% capacity, adds another six days, while smaller contributions from the Bigai spring and municipal boreholes help keep the system running. Officials warn these sources are not a long-term solution unless other sources are added.
To strengthen water security, the municipality, with provincial and national partners, has fast-tracked a water augmentation programme. Specialists have completed geohydrological and engineering studies to ensure interventions are effective, sustainable and environmentally responsible.
Several projects are nearing completion and are expected to be operational within two weeks. These include developing the Bigai and Bongani springs and refurbishing seven existing boreholes, collectively yielding about 3.2 megalitres a day.
Another seven boreholes are planned, adding 2.7 megalitres daily. The private sector is also contributing. PG Bison, which operates forestry and timber-related businesses in the area, has offered access to boreholes producing about 3 megalitres a day. When all projects are online, Knysna expects to add about 11 megalitres a day to the water supply.
Emergency interventions are projected to cost R58m. A funding application was submitted to the national department of water & sanitation on January 14.
On the demand side, the municipality is reconnecting about 8,000 bypassed meters, enforcing level 4 restrictions and installing flow restrictors for noncompliance. Additional plumbing teams have been deployed to reduce response times for pipe bursts and ageing infrastructure.
As Knysna awaits the provincial cabinet’s decision on a disaster declaration, residents have been urged to continue to conserve water.
One thing is certain, this crisis has shaken the jewel of the Garden Route and perhaps now proper long-term planning will take effect to prevent similar emergencies in the future. — Knysna-Plett Herald
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