Appeal to Knysna to Conserve Water

The Knysna Municipality has made an urgent appeal to all users in Knysna to use water as sparingly as possible.

Knysna Municipal Manager Lauren Waring said extreme heat and depletion following the bumper holiday season had contributed to water storage facilities dropping to below 50%.

“We ask that everyone who uses municipal water to do so sparingly and only for consumption and care of humans and animals. While we realise that gardens are suffering too, we appeal that residents seek alternative sources of water until the situation has stabilised. We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Knysna as a whole can only benefit from continued partnership between the municipality and the community it serves,” says Waring.

The main source of water in Knysna is the Knysna River which is always vulnerable in times of extreme heat or drought. While the town and surrounding areas have several storage facilities – such as the Akkerkloof Dam, Glebe Dam, 27 reservoirs and five elevated tanks, as well as a desalination plant to assist in drier times, water should always be considered a valuable resource.

Municipal water restrictions have been in place across the Knysna Municipal area since November 2011: Residents with even street numbers may water their gardens in summer from 6pm-7pm on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. Residents with odd street numbers may water their gardens from 6pm to 7pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The water situation in Sedgefield, which receives its water from the Karatara River, is stable. However, as it too is dependent on river water and hence affected by long periods of drought, the Municipality asks that residents stick to water restrictions and not waste water.