El Niño effect – water conservation measures necessary despite full dams
Despite being virtually 100% full, De Bos Dam’s water-carrying capacity has effectively decreased with silt build-up during the 2024 floods. Residents, therefore, are urged to use water sparingly and follow garden-watering restrictions.
A survey of the dam basin after the floods found the current full storage capacity at 5.57 million kilolitres. The original full storage capacity was 5.8 million kilolitres.
The Overstrand Municipality attributes the high dam levels to a strong flow in the catchment area following good rainfall earlier in the year. Statistics from the Department of Water and Sanitation confirm that De Bos Dam is 99.8% full, compared with 99.9% at the same time last year.
All dams in the Overstrand are close to 100% full. At this stage, no water restrictions are applicable in the Overstrand, but the situation in all towns is being closely monitored.
This must be seen in the context of the predicted El Niño effect, which is likely to cause warmer and drier-than-average conditions in the Western Cape in the months ahead.
To limit evaporation during the warmest period of the day, residents are reminded that Clause 46 of the Water Services By-law remains in place throughout the Overstrand. It requires that no irrigation takes place between 09:00 and 17:00.
The new borehole drilled opposite Gateway Lifestyle Centre last month is intended to replace older boreholes that have become unproductive and to increase overall production from the Table Mountain Sandstone (TMS) deep aquifers. The testing and investigation phase is ongoing.
Diversification of water sources continues, with planning for a seawater desalination plant for Hermanus in progress.
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