Picture: Knysna Acting Municipal Manager Setloane Malepeng and Sedgefield Ratepayers Committee Member Andy Brough

The EDGE recently sent a query to Knysna Municipality asking the same question Sedgefield Ratepayers Association has been asking for months:- Why residents are still on Level 3 water restrictions and, more importantly, paying exceptionally high and totally unjustified drought-related tariffs, when there has clearly been no water crisis in Sedgefield for some time. When the reply eventually came it was in the form of a press release from the Acting Municipal Manager Setloane Malepeng, but instead of offering any relief or indeed explanation to the embattled Sedgefield community, it did the exact opposite.

In short, the press release announced that the greater Knysna area (including Sedgefield) has been moved up to “Drought Situation Level 2” (NB: It must be noted that Drought Situation levels are somehow different to Water Restriction levels).

In essence, this means even stricter enforcement of the current Level 3 water restrictions, including a rather shocking 50% tariff increase on
a) domestic accounts where the usage allowance of 20kl per month has been exceeded, and
b) accounts that do not reduce their monthly water consumption by 20%.

The press release (hereafter included in full) was forwarded to the Sedgefield Ratepayers Association for comment and Executive Committee Member Andy Brough provided input, which we have published at the end of the press release.

“Drought Situation Level 2″ in Greater Knysna explained. (From Knysna Municipality)
According to Acting Knysna Municipal Manager Setloane Malepeng, the Drought Situation Stage in the greater Knysna Municipal area has been raised to Level Two.
“Level three water restrictions have been in place for a number of months,” he said. “Greater Knysna is a water-scarce area, with intermittent droughts affecting the Garden Route as a whole since the severe drought of 2009. A level two drought situation contains measures that are aimed at bringing users to the realisation that this is a very real problem, to change water usage habits and to effectively curb water wastage.”

Greater Knysna’s storage facilities have dropped to below 60% capacity, triggering the move to a level two drought situation. A directive of this second tier is the implementation of punitive tariffs on those users who exceed the monthly water consumption allowance under level three restrictions.
“These measures are only implemented to ensure the responsible usage, conservation, and future security of our water by strongly encouraging all residents to use it sparingly,” said Malepeng. “They are not applied as punishment, but as persuasion.”

Under current level three water restrictions, domestic water usage is limited to 20 000 litres per month. The drought situation level 2 allows the municipality to actively implement this restriction by effecting a 50% increase on domestic accounts where the usage allowance of 20kl per month has been exceeded. All other users who do not reduce their monthly water consumption by 20% will also be subject to a 50% tariff increase.
“Water restriction levels and drought situation levels are different methodologies used to mitigate periods of water shortage,” said Malepeng. “They are implemented together to achieve our main objective of conserving our available water resources.

Water restrictions are regulatory measures aimed at managing water consumption during times of scarcity or when supply systems are under irregular strain.
Restrictions include water usage limits, time restrictions, banning of certain activities, and penalties for non-compliance.

Drought situation levels are tiered tariff – and water supply management measures implemented by a municipality to control levels of water consumption relevant and appropriate to varying degrees of drought or water scarcity.
“Residents are expected to adhere to the restrictions set under the various levels. Unfortunately we cannot, for instance, constantly monitor if residents are only using watering cans to water their gardens on certain days or not,” explained Malepeng. “Under the various drought situation levels, such disregard for water restrictions will result in penalties.”
“It is entirely possible for an average family of four to manage their daily lives using less than 20kl per month,” he concluded. “Please work with us to treat this vital natural resource with the respect it deserves.”
Level 3 water restrictions remain in place. Level 3 water restrictions dictate that:

ANDY BROUGH OF THE SEDGEFIELD RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION RESPONDS
Sedgefield Ratepayers Association notes the Knysna Municipality’s decision to move to a Level 2 Drought Situation. As a point of clarity, Knysna Municipality needs to explain the difference between the Drought Situation Levels and the Water Restriction Levels. We understand that Level 3 Water restrictions remain in place.

Water security is an ongoing concern for Sedgefield, and we have indicated this in our submissions related to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and the Spatial Development Framework (SDF). We are still heavily reliant on boreholes and water extracted from the Hoogekraal.

According to figures published in the agenda for the Knysna Municipality Special Council meeting held on September 30, 2024, only 26% of the pre-paid meters installed are revenue-earning and working. Whilst SRA supports the call for responsible water usage, the proposed tariffs and water supply management measures can only work if the existing water meters are all functional.

The press release also indicates that all users (even those within the 20kl per month allocation) must reduce consumption by 20% or face a 50% tariff increase. We call on Knysna Municipality to clarify this statement.
SRA has called for an urgent meeting this week to discuss these measures with the municipal manager.

For more information on water restriction levels, drought situation levels, water services and water-saving tips, please visit https://www.knysna.gov.za and search for Water Services or contact the Manager: Water and Wastewater Services Rhoydon Parry at rparry@knysna.gov.za or 044 302 6332.