By ROD AMNER
Jim Cambray reported a healthy 32mm overnight on Wednesday 17 November in Park Road, bringing the week’s total to 34.8mm with temperatures ranging from 13.5 to 33C.
The 32mm is the highest 24-hour rainfall Makhanda has had this year. Our last good rainfall day was in October 2020, with 47mm.
Robin Stobbs received 27.9mm in Grant Street. His garden concrete has turned to mud, his tanks are overflowing, and he has disinterred his weeding forks.
Paul Maylam recorded 30.2mm in Cathcart Street for the past week, including 28mm Wednesday night up till 8 am Thursday morning. Paul mentioned he had seen a 14-day forecast which showed that there would be 100mm+ next week, “but the excitement has been short-lived as the forecast drastically reduced the amount to around 25mm. But it looks as though there will be rain around next week.”
After last week’s rains boosted the Howieson’s Poort Dam to 23%, the Makana Municipality reactivated the Waainek Water Treatment Works to supplement the compromised supply from the James Kleynhas Water Treatment Works on the eastern side of town.
Howieson’s Poort Dam consequently sank to 20% this week, but Wednesday’s rain should give the dam level a substantial boost, easing pressure on our water supply in the short term.
