Testing the waters for a storage dam for greater Knysna

Testing the waters for a storage dam for greater Knysna

Knysna Municipality is investigating the possibility of constructing a storage dam at Kruisvallei. “Considerable progress has been made on a feasibility study for the development of such a dam,” said Municipal Manager Ombali Sebola. “Council has approved the construction of the Kruisvallei Dam in principle, and the project is currently in the implementation readiness preparation stage.”

“Everyone is aware that our region is suffering severe water shortages,” said Sebola. “And we are constantly asking residents to minimize water usage and to adhere to the water restrictions. But we are also actively investigating ways in which we may augment our bulk water sources to ensure future water security for greater Knysna.”

Zutari (Pty) Ltd (previously the African subdivision of the Aurecon Group), began exploring such opportunities on behalf of the municipality in 2020. “The investigation services included site reconnaissance by specialists, detailed topographical mapping, and preliminary geotechnical and material investigations,” Sebola explained. “Naturally a dam feasibility assessment was conducted, along with environmental and social screening, heritage and biodiversity specialist studies and lobbying for funding.”

“While this is very exciting news, it is a time-consuming process with many procedures that must be followed,” concluded Sebola. “Further studies must be conducted to inform the compilation of business plans that will be necessary to access funding from the provincial or national government. We are, however, confident that the Kruisvallei Dam will become a reality, and that we can make quantifiable progress in our efforts to secure a water-safe future for the greater Knysna area.”