GIB and Kouga Municipality join forces amid worsening drought
The ongoing drought has brought the Kouga Municipality and the Gamtoos Irrigation Board together to confront the situation.
According to GIB CEO Rienette Colesky, who has been at the helm since April 2019, although their efforts sometimes go unseen, the municipality is hard at work combating the drought where it can.
“We have a very good relationship with the local municipality. We have weekly meetings. To talk to each other is the only way we can solve issues and make a difference,” she says.
A firm believer in the power of teamwork, Colesky believes that “together a dynamic team will move mountains”.
Colesky says that the level of involvement in the area by the municipality has changed over the past year and a half, and that they expend a great deal of effort now to manage water more effectively.
A number of drought-relief projects have been undertaken cooperatively in the Hankey/Patensie area.
Laura-Lee Randall, spokesperson for the Kouga Municipality, elaborated on the details of these projects.
Bulk and internal water reticulation replaced in Hankey:
This project, which has been completed, entailed replacing of the bulk water supply lines from the Gamtoos Canal extraction point to the Water Treatment Works (WTW). In addition, the bulk water supply line to the Centerton reservoirs was replaced as well as much of Hankey’s water reticulation network.
Supply of Hankey bulk water from Soetkloof to the Hankey Water Treatment Works (Phase 1 and Phase 2):
This project included the installation of a gravity supply feed from boreholes in Soetkloof to the Hankey Water Treatment Works. These boreholes will be installed once the Eskom electrical supply is in place. Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 should be completed in March 2020.
Replacing the Patensie water supply line:
The scope of this project entails replacing the bulk water supply line from the Patensie Water Treatment Works to Ramaphosa Village. It also includes replacing the water reticulation network in the Citrus residential area. The estimated date for completion is March 2020.
Patensie Borehole Development:
This will mean the development of two boreholes in Patensie, as well as the installation of a rising main to the Patensie Water Treatment Works. Construction of this project has not started yet.
Colesky says that water will always be a big issue in the area.
“The only way is to do conscious water management. We must make sure that each drop counts, for residential use or economic use. Cooperation is so important. We all have the same goal and must work together,” she says.
Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad en Kouga Munisipaliteit staan saam tydens ‘n groeiende droogte
Die voortdurende droogte het die Kouga Munisipaliteit en Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad bymekaargebring om die situasie te beredder.
Volgens Rienette Colesky, wat sedert April 2019 Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad se Hoof Uitvoerendebeampte is, is die munisipaliteit baie hard aan die werk om die droogte te bekamp, alhoewel baie daarvan ongesiens is.
“Ons het ‘n baie goeie verhouding met die munisipaliteit. Ons kom weekliks bymekaar. Om met mekaar te gesels is al manier om ons probleme op te los en om ‘n verskil te maak, “ sê sy.
Colesky, ‘n vrou met ‘n vaste geloof in die mag van spanwerk, sê dat “ ‘n dinamiese span saam berge kan versit.”
Verder voer Colesky aan dat die vlak van betrokkenheid deur die munisipaliteit in díé gebied verander het oor die afgelope jaar en ‘n half en dat daar nou baie inspanning gebruik word om water meer effektief te gebruik.
‘n Aantal droogteverligtingsprojekte is deur die raad en die munisipaliteit in die Hankey/Patensie gebied onderneem.
Laura-Lee Randall, woordvoerder vir die Kouga Munisipaliteit, brei uit met besonderhede oor díe projekte.
Watertoevoerlyne word in Hankey vervang
Hierdie projek, wat reeds voltooi is, het die vervanging van die watertoevoerlyne vanaf die Gamtoos Kanaal-ontrekkingspunt tot by die Waterbehandelingswerke behels. Boonop is die watertoevoerlyn na die Centerton-reservoir vervang, sowel as ‘n groot gedeelte van die Hankey-watertoevoernetwerk.
Voorsiening van watertoevoer vanaf Soetkloof tot by die Hankey-Waterbehandelingswerke (Fase 1 en Fase 2)
Hierdie projek sluit die installasie van ‘n gravitasietoevoer uit boorgate by Soetkloof tot by die Hankey-Waterbehandelingswerke in. Die boorgate sal geinstalleer word sodra die Eskom- elektrisieteitstoevoer in plek is. Die beraamde voltooiingsdatum is Maart 2020.
Vervanging van die Patensie-watertoevoerlyn
Die omvang van díé projek behels die vervanging van die watertoevoerlyn vanaf die Patensie-Waterbehandelingswerke tot by die Ramaphosa-dorpie. Dit sluit ook die vervanging van die water retikulasie-sisteem in die Sitruswoongebied in. Die beraamde voltooiingsdatum is ook Maart 2020.
Patensie-Boorgatontwikkeling
Dit sal die ontwikkeling van twee boorgate in Patensie beteken, sowel as die installasie van ‘n stygende hoofpyp tot by die Patensie-Waterbehandelingswerke. Konstruksie het nog nie begin nie.
Colesky sê dat water altyd ‘n groot rede tot kommer sal wees in díé omgewing.
“Al manier is om bewuste waterbestuur uit te oefen. Ons moet verseker dat elke druppel tel, vir residensiële- sowel as vir kommersiële gebruik. Samewerking is so belangrik. Ons moet almal dieselfde doel voor oë hê en moet saamwerk,” sê sy.
