Oudtshoorn declared a water disaster area

GREATER Oudtshoorn has been declared a disaster area, with water from the Raubenheimer dam only expected to last for the next 160 days.

During a special council meeting this week, the council of the Greater Oudtshoorn area discussed a threatening water shortage crisis facing the town and declared a local state of disaster due to critical water shortages.

The Raubenheimer dam is at 30.7% capacity, and the water flow out of the dam is more than the water flow into the dam.

If water consumption increases, coupled with the increase in weather temperature, the water level will decrease faster.

The dam only has enough water for the next 160 days before reaching the surface water in the dam which is unusable.

Mayor Colan Sylvester appealed to residents to use water extremely sparingly and immediately report any leakages and pipe breakages.

“It is important that we all begin to realise that each drop counts and a waste can cause the water shortage crisis to deteriorate into a total disaster,” he said.

“The Oudtshoorn Municipal Council is viewing this water crisis as very serious and we commit ourselves to use all available resources to ensure that the Greater Oudtshoorn area gets more water and that our citizens are well educated to look after this valuable resource,” Sylvester said.

The municipality said information obtained from the South African Weather Bureau warns that the eastern part of the Western Cape, and particularly Oudtshoorn, can expect above average temperatures and below average rainfall for the next six months.

Municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe said the council also adopted a number of resolutions.

This included the establishment of a local emergency committee consisting of all relevant role-players, a communication strategy for a large-scale communication campaign on the water crisis project to keep all role-players and the public informed, and law enforcement officers appointed to ensure that the public adhere to the water restrictions.

Special attention will be given to the repair of leakages across Greater Oudtshoorn.

“Oudtshoorn is in partnership with the Eden District Municipality in efforts to address the water crisis in the greater Oudtshoorn.

“The municipality also works with a variety of local role players as well as the Western Cape and national government,” Mangqwengqwe said.