The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa, has set aside an amount of R20 million from the Minister’s Discretionary Fund as an input towards the resolution of the current flood disaster in the country. Minister Molewa also expressed her sincere condolences to the families of people who died as a result of the resultant mayhem.
The Department of Water Affairs has in the meantime conducted a national assessment of the state of water related infrastructure. This was with particular emphasis on water treatment works that have been flooded and are likely to threaten the quality of water. In some parts of the country like in the Limpopo province, bridges were washed away and this led to water pipelines collapsing and cutting water supply to communities.
The intervention will therefore prioritise communities that have been left without safe water supply and may end up using raw untreated water from the rivers. In these areas most of which are in KwaZulu-Natal, the department will ensure the availability of potable water through tankering and also the installation of rainwater tanks (Jojo tanks).
Department of Water Affairs (DWA) will also assess and cost the damage to its own infrastructure, mainly water and dam monitoring equipment that could be damaged or even uprooted. Teams of specialists are already in the different regions to do such assessment in order to ensure that its work in this stead is not compromised.
In one area of the North West in particular, the Department of Water Affairs is currently undertaking rehabilitation work of the Klein Maricopoort Dam near the town of Zeerust. The rehabilitation work includes extending the spillway of the dam. In order to do this a major part of the existing spillway was removed and a temporary coffer dam was built to safeguard the construction area. With the recent heavy rains the dam level has risen substantially to the extent that the coffer dam wall is on the verge of being overtopped.
Rehabilitation started in August 2009 and is expected to be completed in May 2011. The work on the spillway is 60% complete and all exposed foundations have been covered with concrete. The Klein Maricopoort Dam itself is safe and stable. Department of Water Affairs has however already implemented the Emergency Preparedness Plan for the dam and the Local Municipality’s Disaster Manager has been alerted due to the fact that the coffer dam is in danger of being washed away. All affected residents downstream from Klein Maricopoort Dam to Kromellenboog Dam have been informed about the level of the dam and will be kept updated on any risk of flooding.
The inflows are continuously monitored and the coffer dam is monitored for leakages. If the coffer dam, which has been constructed to enable the contractor to construct the new enlarged spillway, shows any sign of damage because of overtopping all affected parties will be informed by the Disaster Manager and officials from The Department of Water Affairs.
The department has also brought in the water boards which are already on the ground in the areas where they render services. The boards will bring in their resources and expertise to assist in stabilising the situation. Where the boards operate in the different provinces assessments have already begun.
The current floods have also created conditions that are conducive to the possibility of water-borne diseases like cholera. Married to such are those animal diseases like rift valley fever, which we will work together with colleagues from Agriculture to manage. The DWA has already started working on anti cholera campaigns, educating communities on water safety and ways of treating water in cases where they have to utilise untreated water.
The department is working very closely with departments like Health and Agriculture within the National Disaster Management Committee in finding resolutions to the matter. People will be encouraged to take normal precaution in the use of water from rivers and streams of affected areas. The innoculation of livestock will also be critical.
As part of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, the National Disaster Management Committee and ultimately The National Joint Operations Committee, the department is able to work with and gain expertise from fellow departments. The department will also embark on fresh awareness campaigns and also strengthen the current ones in order to ensure that our communities are aware of the dangers inherent in the flood situation.
The department will together with its sister department, Environmental Affairs, continue to better communicate the issues around weather variability due to the La Nina phenomenon now experienced in the southern hemisphere. All means of communication including community media will be used to ensure dissemination of alerts and other messages reaches everyone.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell”: 0828742942
E-mail: rataus@dwa.gov.za
