Howieson's Poort Dam has responded well to the past three months of rain, including downpours that resulted in significant runoff. It is not only full, but overflowing.
Howieson's Poort Dam has responded well to the past three months of rain, including downpours that resulted in significant runoff. It is not only full, but overflowing.
Yet water is still a struggle for many residents in high-lying areas, including Grahamstown East. According to recent readings conducted by Makana officials, the Howieson's Poort dam is overflowing, its level increasing from 68.93% in November to 99.92% in December.
However, nearby dams tell a different story. The Milner dam is only 29.27% full, declining from the November reading of 44.19%, while Settlers and Jameson dams remain almost empty. All four dams feed into the Waainek treatment works, which in turn supplies Grahamstown West. Because there was so little rain last year, Waainek didn't operate and Grahamstown had to rely on its second source, the James Kleinhans treatment works, to supply the rest of Grahamstown for most of last year.
The increased demand on one source led to low water-pressure and frequent water disruptions in high-lying areas including Grahamstown Industrial Area, Correctional Services, Army Base, Cradock Heights, Newtown, Vukani and parts of Joza. Municipal Manager, Ntombi Baart said in a recent media statement that the had pumped water from Waainek treatment works, which had eased the pressure on James Kleinhans.
James Kleynhans treatment works receives its water from Glen Mellville Dam, which is regulated by the Department of Water Affairs. The water is released according to predetermined quotas. It is channelled down a canal from the Fish River which feeds directly into the treatment works.
But despite the apparent plentiful supply in the Howieson's Poort Dam, many Grahamstown East residents are still without water and can be seen with containers at hand on their way to collect water at the springs, just before Stone's Hill, or depend on the municipal water tanks that have become a familiar sight in Grahamstown East.
In Hlalani, one of these tanks can be found in the yard of the Ntozini family. According to the family, the tank was placed there by the municipality the day before Christmas after residents complained about the shortage of water.
Fundiswa Ntozini said the water in the tank must lasted a week, because residents of neighbouring areas also came to collect water there. "By New Year's Day we had run out of water. We had to go and look for water at (nearby) Eluxolweni township. "When there was none there as well, we even went as far as Joza. Sometimes, I feel as if we were living in the rural areas, because in the rural areas during a drought, you will search for dams, trying to find water."
Another Hlalani resident, Vuyani Ngcese, said the Hlalani residents had complained with no success to the municipality about the sporadic water supply – water comes out of their taps for a little while but then quickly disappears.
According to the municipality's press statement, after they started the pumps at Waainek last year, one of them experienced technical problems because they'd been inactive for five months. The pump had to be taken for repairs to the manufacturers, Sulzer Pumps, in Cape Town, on 1 December.
After the pump had been serviced, "most of the areas including the high lying, received water smoothly without any interruptions", the statement said. However, the pump broke down again the day before Christmas.
Baart said they expected the pump to be back on Saturday. Baart also said a loan from the Development Bank of South Africa had been confirmed, and one of the key projects was to upgrade the bulk line from James Kleinhans to Botha’s Hill reservoir. "This is expected to relieve the water challenges and bring about a lasting solution," she said. Baart said until then the municipality would continue to cart water to all affected areas.
