The alarm has been raised in Knysna as the Garden Route town is facing a possible Day Zero scenario, as residents have been subjected to Level 4 water restrictions.
It comes after the Knysna Municipality on Thursday announced that the current water supply provides an estimated buffer of 13 days should no additional inflows enter the system. This estimate is based on the Akkerkloof Dam’s current level of less than 20%.
The Glebe Dam is currently 70% full and can provide an additional buffer should there be no rainfall in the catchments of the Knysna and Gouna rivers.
The 13-day estimate also does not yet take into account other water sources that can be accessed or additional operational adjustments that can be made to the water supply system.
Alternative water sources, including boreholes and springs, have been identified and are in the process of being connected to the municipal water supply network.
The Western Cape Government says in extreme circumstances, water supply may be throttled in certain zones.
The municipality will also install water tanks in higher-lying areas where water pressure may drop.
The Garden Route District Municipality and the Department of Local Government have potable water tankers on standby to respond in the event of an emergency. The failure of water infrastructure has only exacerbated the issues experienced in Knysna.
Residents are urged to conserve water as much as possible.
Water security is also a concern for other municipalities, particularly Langeberg and Bitou.
Langeberg Municipality’s Dassieshoek Dam is currently at 2%, and the Kooskok Dam is at 9%. In response, the municipality has upgraded its pump station to increase abstraction from a channel fed by the Brandvlei Dam.
Bitou Municipality is experiencing very limited inflow from its main water source.
As a result, the municipality has activated its desalination plant, while the Department of Local Government is exploring the feasibility of adding two boreholes to the municipal water supply system.
MEC Anton Bredell says that in all the affected municipalities, it is critically important that residents and visitors adhere to the current water restrictions in place:
“The province, together with the National Department of Water and Sanitation, will continue to support these municipalities to ensure water security in the immediate future.”
The City of Cape Town has also reiterated its call on residents, businessess and visitors to save water as dam levels have dropped further.
Water usage spiked to 1 048 million litres per day this week, well above the target of less than 975 million litres per day.
Dam levels are about 20% lower than the same time last year.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, says this is a critical time:
“While taps are not at risk of running dry at this stage, continued high water use could rapidly change the situation and result in restrictions unless consumption is brought down urgently.”
Recent trends published in the City’s weekly water dashboard show excessive average daily water use by Capetonians as a collective:
• 10 December 2025 – 1 029 MLD
• 15 December 2025 – 1029 MLD
• 22 December 2025 – 1039 MLD
• 29 December 2025 – 1010 MLD
• 5 January 2026 – 1048 MLD
For additional resources and water-saving tips, visit www.capetown.gov.za/savewater
