Five cubic litres of water were recently released from the Berg River Dam as part of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s efforts to ensure that the Western Cape water supply system does not fail.

The release, which is for both domestic and industrial use, will bring major relief to several municipalities currently affected by the drought.

A team of officials from department, local government and law enforcement from affected municipalities along the West Coast worked around the clock policing and removing debris along the Berg River.

According to Debbie Hene, Director Regulations there has been cooperation from farmers along the Berg River. “There are one or two instances where the team experienced water blockages at the river and farmers willingly removed the sand bags”, Hene explained.

“While this release will bring major relief we are urging all municipalities to apply water restrictions and ensure they comply with the Government Gazette published in December 2017 and January 2018. Municipalities are also encouraged to revisit their implementation plans for the augmentation projects to secure earlier delivery dates,” the department said in a statement.