Water situation improving – Sol

THE WEEKEND shutdown of water in Kimberley from midday tomorrow until midday on Sunday will not take place this weekend.

City residents, however, will continue to experience nightly shutdowns of water.

Municipal spokesperson Sello Matsie said yesterday that while the municipality was not yet out of the woods in terms of meeting the demand for water, the situation was improving.

“Yesterday the levels of the dams at the Newton Reservoir were around 11.2ft,” said Matsie.

At one stage the levels had dropped to 8ft and the municipality expressed concern that it might not be able to pump water to high-lying parts of the city if it continued to drop lower.

“By shutting off the water at night, we are able to raise the levels by around 2ft. During the day, however, we are not able to pump sufficient water from Riverton to meet the city’s demand for water, resulting in a drop again.”

The good news is that rain has been predicted for the next few days. “We have noticed in the past that situation improves as soon as there is rain,” Matsie said.

‘... BY SHUTTING OFF THE WATER AT NIGHT, WE ARE ABLE TO RAISE THE LEVELS BY AROUND 2ft’

According to the South African Weather Service, there is a 60% chance of rain in the city today, and a 30% chance tomorrow and Sunday. The Weather Service has predicted around 10mm of rain throughout the weekend.

The city has had a very dry January, recording only 63% of its average rainfall for the month. According to the weather office, a total of 41mm of rain fell during January, while the average is 64mm.

The rainfall pattern in other Northern Cape towns for January have been equally as dismal. In Barkly West 15mm was recorded (26% of the average of 58mm for the month), in Boetsap 34mm of rain fell (while the average for the month is 85mm), Britstown 11mm (33mm), De Aar 34mm (38mm), Garies 1mm (3mm), Groblershoop 9mm (27mm), Hanover 14mm, Hopetown 6mm (37mm), Kamieskroon 2mm (4mm), Kathu 12mm, Koingnaas 1mm, Kuruman 19mm, Nieuwoudtville 9mm, Noupoort 32mm, Orania 19mm, Petrusville 4mm (33mm), Philipstwon 11mm (40mm), Port Nolloth 0, Postmasburg 1mm, Prieska 1mm, Richmond 6mm, Severn 2mm (51mm), Springbok 1mm, Sutherland 0 (15mm), Upington 13mm (31mm), Vaalharts 12 mm, Van Zylsrus 4mm, Vanwyksvlei 1mm (23mm), Windsorton 27mm.

Only one spot in the Province recorded above average rainfall, namely Hondeklipbaai where 7mm of rain fell, while the average for the month is only 2mm.