Buffalo City Metro (BCM) needs R121m for boreholes as one of the many ways of alleviating the water shortages that has hit a number of municipalities in the province.
The metro has some rural villages where taps have run dry as reservoirs are empty. Many of BCM’s dams are also fast running out of water.
Many villagers now depend on streams and wells for drinking water.
BCM, in a document tabled in a council meeting last week, says that it sent a business plan with a total funding request to the provincial co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) department for consideration in the allocation of funds from the drought relief grant.
“Proposed solutions include a business plan with a total funding of R121.9m; a proposal to Cogta’s drought relief grant has not yet been approved,” reads the report, signed by City manager, Andile Sihlahla.
“We require assistance from law enforcement for policing of water restrictions, more especially when it comes to the removal of illegal car washes and non-compliant consumers.”
According to the council report, this plan is to provide funding for the required water interventions.
The metro’s plan to alleviate the problem includes investigating the possible use of old boreholes equipped with windmills in rural areas.
These were water drawing systems that were decommissioned when surface water schemes were installed.
The metro said it was also planning to investigate new boreholes in areas where existing ones had dried up.
“Investigations have been completed in ward 50 villages and partially completed in wards 32, 35 and 38.
“All boreholes in ward 50 have been tested for yield and equipped with monitoring equipment for pumping, reservoir levels and abstractions,” Sihlahla said.
The metro said the development and equipping of boreholes had started at Mxhalanga to supplement water supply for Mxhalanga, Cwengcwe and Magqobhokeni in ward 35 and 38.
“This project is 98% complete and is planned to be completed in August 2021,” he said.
In the new financial year, further researches would be done in wards 35, 37 and 38 which are affected by inconsistent bulk water supply from Amathole District Municipality.
BCM said the plan would be extended to all wards depending on the budget.
The report provided a frightening monthly status on the levels of dams which revealed that the dams were fast becoming dry.
The metro is investigating the possibility of reviving existing boreholes and the possible digging of more.
According to the report, local dam levels were a cause for concern. BCM dams are at these levels:
- The Bridle Drift sits at 23.1%;
- Nahoon Dam 32%;
- Wriggleswade, which is a reserve dam, is at 18.5%;
- Sandile at 53%;
- Rooikrantz at 84%; and
- Laing Dams is at 97%.
The report says the figures indicate that the water system is under stress as the total available storage capacity sits at 84,269³m which equates to 32.2%.
The metro is alleviating the water woes by transferring raw water from Wriggleswade Dam to Nahoon Dam when the level is below 40% of its full capacity.
It also transfers raw water from Wriggleswade to Laing Dam when its level is at 50% capacity and applies water restrictions when the level of the Rooikrantz Dam is below 60%.
“These dam operations have been in force since the beginning of drought conditions; as a result the level of Wriggleswade Dam is currently at 18.5%,” reads the report.
“The transfer of raw water form Wriggleswade was stopped by the water and sanitation department in September 2020 and was expected to start this August.
“The implementation of water restrictions and punitive tariffs as approved by council is guided by the dam operating rules, municipal water services bylaw, tariff policy and Water Services Act 108 of 1997.”
The metro report further said that residents should be encouraged to use alternative water sources.
“Encourage water reuse at municipal properties and consumer level and encourage rainwater harvesting and develop policy for safe use.”
Sihlahla said the metro had also employed the services of a professional service provider to conduct a feasibility study for effluent water reuse to augment the raw water supply for Bridle Drift and Laing Dam which supplies the coastal, inland and midland areas.
“A professional service provider will be appointed in August to conduct a feasibility with cost estimates for desalination,” he said.
Drought woes in Eastern Cape municipalities has attracted the attention of water & sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu who is visit the province this week.
Mchunu and his deputies David Mahlobo and Dikeledi Magadzi will have a series of engagements with the provincial leadership led by premier Oscar Mabuyane with the aim of assessing and resolving water challenges in the province.
The three-day engagement will kick off from Tuesday to Thursday and two water projects, Ndlambe and Amatola, and the seawater reserve osmosis plant in Port Alfred will be visited.
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