The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) plans to avail an emergency relief allocation of R20-million from reprioritised water services infrastructure grants to Knysna municipality, together with the provision of technical capacity aimed at developing groundwater resources to alleviate the current strain placed on available surface water resources in the Knysna water supply system.

Knysna’s water supply system is currently facing critical water challenges owing to a severe localised drought affecting the Garden Route belt in the Western Cape.

The Akkerkloof dam, which is the municipality’s primary storage facility, is currently 16% full, translating to an estimated 13 days of usable water at current consumption levels.

This is compounded by long-term neglect of maintenance of water infrastructure, high nonrevenue water and vandalism.

“The situation constitutes a serious water security crisis and warrants immediate and collective action from all sectors of society,” said Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina.

Majodina further supported the municipality by classifying the municipality as a disaster area.

“The request to the Western Cape provincial government to also declare Knysna a disaster area will allow government to reprioritise resources and personnel from various sectors to address the situation.”

It will also assist government to have a coordinated and comprehensive approach and response to the water crisis.

Among the short-, medium- and long-term support initiatives provided to mitigate Knysna’s water challenges is the provision of technical engineering expertise to assess the Knysna desalination plant to confirm its refurbishment requirements to increase the water supply, as well as to assist the Knysna municipality to strengthen its water resources planning.

DWS has provided funding to Knysna municipality for feasibility studies for a new small local dam to meet its longer-term needs.

This followed a site visit by Majodina throughout the Knysna municipality, with engagements undertaken with the leadership of the municipality and other stakeholders to assess the extent of the water challenges affecting greater Knysna and agree on urgent measures to address the crisis.

During the two-day visit, Majodina, Knysna municipality Executive Mayor Thando Matika and the technical teams from the municipality and the DWS conducted visits to technical sites, including the Karatara river, which is a significant waterway in the area flowing southwards into Swarts; the Akkerkloof dam; and a series of key boreholes to assess whether they can be revived looking at potential yield.

Majodina also engaged the community of Khayalethu township, religious groups and the Knysna Local Business Chamber to assess the extent of the challenges and to develop agreement on how the challenges are to be addressed.

The Knysna Business Chamber pledged to assist through mobilising its retired technical experts to contribute to resolving the water crisis.

The Knysna water crisis has been ongoing since 2023.

The technical teams, conducting an assessment of the Knysna Water Supply System, determined that sufficient water resources are available to meet the needs of Knysna if the leaks in the municipal distribution system and the average consumption of water per capita are reduced.

“For decades the municipality has not implemented sound water infrastructure asset management and has neglected the maintenance and upgrading of its water and sanitation infrastructure,” the DWS noted in a statement.

Majodina urged the municipality to develop a plan to reduce water leaks and install functioning water meters, which are major contributors to the high nonrevenue water, and encouraged the municipality to explore alternate water sources such as groundwater, seawater desalination and water reuse to reduce reliance on surface water.

The DWS has previously provided support to Knysna municipality to assist with refurbishment and upgrading of some of its water supply infrastructure.

The department allocated R12.4-million and R7-million during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, respectively, through its Water Services Infrastructure Grant, for the rehabilitation of existing water networks and for water conservation and demand management.

“We welcome and appreciate the decisive intervention and commitment demonstrated by the Minister in availing special emergency relief funding and technical support to address the municipality’s water challenges,” said Matika.

“We further acknowledge and value the ongoing support and cooperation from both the Western Cape Department of Local Government and the DWS, whose involvement strengthens the collective response to the current water crisis.”

The Minister’s hands-on engagement, together with the DWS’s immediate, medium- and long-term interventions, complemented by provincial support, signals a strong, coordinated and collaborative approach across all spheres of government to ensuring water security for the Greater Knysna area.

“This partnership demonstrates government’s shared responsibility to protect communities, sustain economic activity and build a more resilient and sustainable water future for Knysna.”

The DWS and other spheres of government, water bodies and stakeholders will closely monitor the Knysna water situation and update citizens regularly.