Eastern Cape dam levels

Kouga dam, July 2018 (TouchHD Online / Twitter)

Massive water restrictions set for the Eastern Cape as “day zero” looms

Some regions are facing 80% water restrictions, as the Eastern Cape looks to fight against these crippling drought conditions.

Eastern Cape dam levels

Kouga dam, July 2018 (TouchHD Online / Twitter)

The dire situation in the Eastern Cape has hit a new low, as News24 report that heavy 80% water restrictions are set to take effect across severely-hit areas of the province.

The towns of Hankey and Patensie are currently sticking to a water shedding schedule, where they must go without running water for more than 16 hours a day.

Who is facing water restrictions in the Eastern Cape?

Kouga, Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp are also in the direst of circumstances. This has also taken a hold of Nelson Mandela Bay, where the dams servicing the city have slumped to just 18% of their capacity.

Sputnik Ratau is the head of the Water and Sanitation Department. He unveiled plans to conserve water in the Eastern Cape, which has now become a national source of interest:

“So dire is the situation in the region that Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has raised questions about the department’s interventions to avert day zero. Water restrictions are being enforced in accordance with the Drought Operating Rules for each dam.”

What is being done to fight the drought?

To stock up on emergency water supplies in the Kouga dam catchment area, two 18 000-litre water tankers have been delivered to the local municipality. In fact, they’ve received over R1 million in funding to fight the drought, and it is expected that groundwater reclamation will be explored in the region.

Towns at the mercy of this crippling water crisis have also seen the installation of billboards in key areas, designed to drill home that a day zero scenario is looking likely unless locals can cut down on their water usage even more.

There’s even an 800m pipeline being built from a farmer’s borehole to keep Hankey and Patensie afloat, should their water levels drop to an even more critical point. The Kouga dam is languishing and currently remains just 6.8% full. Many other reserves are also dropping below the 25% mark.