GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Graaff-Reinet residents might have to get permission from the Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality to drill boreholes on their properties in future, as the municipality is in the process of implementing such a bylaw.

The topic was discussed during a Mayoral State of Municipality meeting on Wednesday 9 October.

Mayor Deon de Vos added that, if the bylaw is approved, the municipality will have the right to tap into private boreholes successfully drilled, and owners of the boreholes will have to pay a levy for water used. "The water belongs to the government," De Vos explained.

However, it is unclear at this stage how long it will take for such a bylaw to be implemented.

According to acting Director for Engineering and Planning for the local municipality, Ivor Berrington, the water demand in town at this stage is 7,7 megalitres of water per day, but in peak summer, this will increase to 12 megalitres per day.

Graaff-Reinet already saw rising temperatures this week, with a high of 37 degrees on Monday, and a forecast of 39 on Thursday. Berrington explained that two of the 30 municipal boreholes were vandalised. According to him, the municipality pumps 6,1 megalitres of water per day from the remaining 28 boreholes. 

"We must have water for 24 hours in reserve, but we have nothing," he said.

Except for the boreholes that the Gift of the Givers are currently drilling at schools in town, Berrington said they were lucky to get permission from South African National Parks (SANParks) to receive the water rights of five boreholes drilled on the Welgevonden Game Reserve area, which belong to Camdeboo National Park, SANParks. 

The necessary pumps and pipelines must still be connected, to divert the water to catchments and consumers.

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