The Greater Knysna municipality has been declared a water-stressed area, with restrictions increased to level four. Knysna’s water woes are reaching a boiling point, piling pressure on businesses and residents as the Garden Route town prepares to welcome thousands of visitors over the summer season. The Akkerkloof holding dam, Knysna’s main storage dam, is at a low capacity, with the same problem at the Glebe dam.
Mayor Thando Matika said it was a necessary step to allow for national and provincial interventions to be completed and evaluated. “The Garden Route District disaster management centre was mandated, in consultation with the Knysna local disaster management unit, to co-ordinate the short-term as well as medium-term interventions needed to address this crisis,” Matika said. Matika said water infrastructure in the area, especially in Knysna, had been under tremendous pressure.
“Our municipal teams are under immense strain due to numerous water emergencies. “We increased the overtime allowance to 60 hours to accommodate the number of callouts.” He said the municipality was implementing a water awareness campaign, using various communication channels, including radio, traditional media and online platforms. Matika said the campaign’s goal was to remind residents and visitors to use water sparingly.
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