Hogsback residents rally together to tackle water crisis

As parts of the Amathole district edge closer towatersystem failure, Hogsback has reversed the script, with residents of the picturesque mountain village refusing to wait for “Day Zero” to arrive. Faced with projections that the Plaatjieskraal Dam would run dry by early March, the community mobilised, cut consumption by more than half in a matter of weeks and helped stabilise supply — at least for now. In January, the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) announced that the dam serving the town’s about 1,200 residents had dropped to 15% capacity.

With prolonged dry conditions and below-average rainfall cited as the cause, levels were expected to decline further. At the same time, coastal towns including Gxarha (Morgan’s Bay), Chintsa and Kei Mouth were already at 0% dam capacity, prompting the municipality to implement water rationing across affected areas. The committee comprises three Hogsback residents and two municipal technicians, and is chaired by retired professional water engineer and resident Trevor Rossouw.

Rather than focusing solely on rainfall, the group turned its attention to infrastructure and consumption. “Maintenance had been lacking, so that’s where we started,” Rossouw said. Working with the Hogsback Tourism Organisation, the committee launched a community-wide drive to fix leaks, inspect pipes and circulate daily water-saving notices and practical conservation tips. Broken infrastructure was identified and repaired in collaboration with ADM technicians.