Northern Cape water woes: Rivers overflow and taps run dry

MORE flooding is expected in the Northern Cape after the 10th sluice gate at the Vaal Dam was opened at 1pm on April 25.

Sluice gates 7, 8 and 9 were opened between 9am and noon.

The water levels at Bloemhof Dam increased to 2,800 cubic metres per second (m3/s) at 3pm on Friday. 

Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said the two major river systems in the Northern Cape increased this week.

“The Vaal River system has increased from last week’s 101 percent to 103.6 percent this week. The Orange River system increased from 99.8 percent last week to 105.1 percent this week.” 

She added that Vanderkloof Dam, situated on the border between the Free State and the Northern Cape, was currently standing at 104.7 percent with an outflow of 841.6 m3/s.

Mavasa stated that Spitskop Weir was overflowing at 132.3 percent while the Douglas Weir remained unchanged from last week and it is at 133.8 percent.

“Vaalharts Weir has decreased from last week’s 105.5 percent to 74.3 this week.” 

She said the storage weirs were not long-term water storage dams but balancing dams.

“The storage weirs are designed to act as multipurpose facilities and serve as distribution points where water is diverted into pipelines, canals or power generating turbines or serve as pumping stations, hence water levels vary week on week.” 

Mavasa urged residents to stay away from the overflowing rivers and riverbanks. 

“The department is also calling on residents not to erect buildings within the one in 100-year flood line in the lower-lying areas, as this causes damage to property during floods. Farmers are also urged to remove pumping equipment and livestock from the river during flooding.” 

She added that the water storage in the Northern Cape decreased from last week’s 131.2 percent to 117.3 percent this week. 

Meanwhile, residents in Barkly West are up in arms over the murky and dirty water coming out of their taps.  

A Barkly West resident, Elize Mathane, said that the water problems started on April 16 and none of the councillors were able to explain the reason for the water challenges. 

Residents in Longlands also complained that they were left without water for prolonged periods. 

According to a notice from Dikgatlong Municipality, the water supply would be suspended on April 23-25 to clean and maintain the reservoirs and settling tanks at the water treatment works.

It indicated that the water quality was compromised and had a high turbidity from the Vaal River as a result of heavy rains.

The municipality stated that the chemicals would be adjusted and that they intended to reduce the abstraction rate of water from the river to reduce the turbidity. 

The municipality did not respond to media enquiries.