Three years ago, this newspaper published an article on its front page under the headline “The great water heist”.
Aerial surveillance had uncovered more than 100 illegal dams on farms along the Kouga River and catchment area.
In some cases there were several dams on one farm.
The Eastern Cape water and sanitation department said at the time it was verifying hundreds more dams to ascertain if they had been built with the necessary government approvals.
Some farmers would either pump water directly out of the river into a storage dam, or capture the water flow in a man-made catchment dam along the tributaries.
The problem with this practice, particularly if it is done illegally, is that less water makes it into the catchment dam — the effects of which are being felt today.
The Kouga Dam stood at 4.8% capacity on Wednesday.
When it reaches 3.1%, further extraction will be impossible, meaning residents of KwaNobuhle will no longer have running water in their taps.
It is a crisis. It boggles the mind that three years on, the national water and sanitation department says it is still investigating.
Department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said a report had been completed by a private company and the findings needed to be systematically reviewed.
“Each dam needs to be checked, so it is taking a while, but we are looking to complete the investigation as a matter of urgency.
“I cannot say how much longer it will take, but as soon as it is complete the department will compile a report and then make that report available,” Ratau said.
Just how seriously is the national government taking the drought crisis in the Bay?
The delayed response to an extremely serious issue of water theft — particularly because water is in such short supply in the metro — is reprehensible, even irresponsible.
Day Zero for parts of the Bay, when taps run dry, is approaching fast and the crisis requires us all to do everything necessary to push back the looming deadline.
This applies equally to the water and sanitation department — the custodian of our water — which must act urgently to bring those who have built illegal dams to book.
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