DWS not too concerned about Western Cape dams

Water users in the Western Cape should not “panic” over dwindling dam levels, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, head of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the Western Cape, said during a recent media briefing.

She confirmed that dam levels in the province were down to 55% compared with 77% at the same time last season, but said the situation was being closely monitored and that the DWS would take urgent measures to safeguard water security should the need arise.

Local authorities, she pointed out, had the discretion to impose water restrictions at any time, based on their water security dynamics.

Bila-Mupariwa highlighted steps taken by the DWS to improve water security in the province.

The DWS had committed R3 billion to infrastructure maintenance and development over the next three years, had recently opened the Brandvlei canal feeder, which would unlock new agribusiness opportunities and much-needed jobs in the region, and was “finalising the last procurement steps for the specialised services required for the remaining construction work needed to raise the Clanwilliam Dam wall”.

She anticipated procurement to be finalised in March, with operations restarting at the Clanwilliam Dam from April this year.

The DWS, in collaboration with local authorities, was implementing water conservation and water demand management initiatives in different communities. These, BilaMupariwa said, included public education and anti-vandalism campaigns. She pointed out that the Western Cape had lower levels of non-revenue water compared with other provinces.

The Western Cape also scooped

12 of the 21 nationwide Green Drop Awards, thanks to the high quality of its waste water treatment.

The province had seven local municipalities, with 18 wastewater systems that were deemed critical as they scored below 30% in the 2022 National Green Drop Report.

To date, all seven municipalities had submitted corrective action plans, which had been reviewed and monitored by the DWS.

A joint task team had also been established in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Local Government and the South African Local Government Association to facilitate support and interventions where necessary to ensure improvement.

Bila-Mupariwa said that, overall, compliance in the Western Cape could be considered good, but there were specific areas of concern that the DWS was monitoring closely.

“We encourage the public to serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the regulator and inform the [DWS] of any concerns related to drinking water and, or wastewater quality management within their municipal areas,” BilaMupariwa said.