The Knysna Municipality is considering punitive tariffs to curb wasteful water usage as the situation has reached critical levels, with reserves down to less than 20 days at the current consumption rate.

The municipality has described the situation as “dire”, with Knysna’s main reserve facility, Akkerkloof Dam, at a critical level of 34 percent and the Glebe Dam at under 5 percent, meaning it can no longer supply the system.

Knysna’s consumption target for the greater municipality was eight megalitres of water per day and currently it stood at more than 12.8 megalitres per day. In Sedgefield the target is 1.9 megalitres, while the current consumption is 2.4 megalitres.

Knysna Municipality mayor Georlene Wolmarans said: “Unless all Knysna residents start working together, we run the risk that our taps will run dry within the next couple of months. We have reached the point where we need to implement desperate measures to avert disaster.”

Water shedding to reduce consumption

She said they were looking at instituting water “shedding” and rationing to reduce consumption, and applying strict enforcement of water restriction measures such as the installation of meters with a water management device that limits water supply to properties. “Knysna is on high alert. We appeal to all residents of Knysna to make a conscious effort to conserve water and cut consumption.”

It had become clear they could not rely on rainfall to save them and the municipality “was doing everything we can to address the state of affairs, but residents need to play their part at home. Each and every one of us needs to think twice about how we use water, with the reality being that we need to cut our usage in half to meet sustainable targets,” said Wolmarans.

Knysna & Partners executive officer Greg Vogt said they would not be impacted by the current crises.

“Our Knysna Municipality has embarked on a pro-active water-wise campaign to educate our citizens to manage our precious resource responsibly. This carefully planned strategy will ensure that people become aware of the processes required by each Knysna citizen.”

Water and Sanitation Department provincial head Rashid Khan said: “The department requests the municipality to introduce enforcement measures to cut its water demand. The municipality should stretch the available 34 percent of water to the next winter rainfall by recycling and installing pressure reduction valves.”

-IOL (Siyavuya Mzantsi)