Knysna’s three-week-long water crisis has finally come to an end, with the municipality confirming on Thursday, 23 May, that the water supply has been restored across the Greater Knysna area.
In its final update, issued by the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) at 10am, the municipality said that ‘reservoir levels continue to build steadily, and while some areas may still experience low pressure, this is expected to improve as the system stabilises and returns to normal operating levels.’
Residents still experiencing outages were advised to report the matter to the Water Helpdesk, as it may be related to ‘localised pipe breaks, airlocks, or infrastructure-specific issues.’
The full restoration follows weeks of supply failures in Knysna and surrounding areas, including Rheenendal, after a cascade of infrastructure issues left taps dry and reservoirs unable to meet demand.
While the municipality repeatedly cited ‘possible causes’ such as pipe breaks, airlocks, and localised infrastructure problems, earlier updates from the JOC made mention of larger systemic challenges – including reservoir shortages and failing pumps – as key drivers of the crisis.
A major turning point came on 20 May when the municipality confirmed that ‘the pump at Charlesford has been successfully installed and is now operational,’ with a second pump ‘currently running.’ This significantly improved ‘system stability’ and enabled the bleeding of airlocks, targeted water carting efforts, and a phased reintroduction of supply to high-lying areas and water-scarce zones.
On 21 May, the JOC reported that ‘most areas in Knysna are now reconnected to the water supply,’ though tankers remained active for zones still awaiting full pressure. Residents were urged to reduce water usage, as the system remained under strain. ‘Some discolouration may occur,’ officials noted, but ‘all water samples remain compliant with SANS.’
Behind the scenes, dozens of stakeholders and volunteers worked around the clock. In its final update, the municipality extended ‘sincere gratitude’ to partner municipalities, provincial authorities, law enforcement, emergency services, and NGOs including Gift of the Givers and AfriForum.
Mayor Thando Matika stated: ‘We are deeply grateful to every individual and organisation who stood with us during this difficult time… Your support reflects the true spirit of our town, united, resilient, and community-focused.’
However, speaking to News24, Matika acknowledged that the crisis could have been avoided with better planning and more budget set aside for infrastructure. This echoed public frustration that surfaced throughout the ordeal, with residents relying on tankers and limited relief as the municipality struggled to diagnose and fix the issues.
The Joint Operations Centre, which had been operational since 14 May under the Disaster Management Act, will now ‘stand down active operations related to this incident,’ but remains on alert.
Officials continue to urge residents to use water responsibly as the reservoirs recover fully.
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Picture: Knysna Municipality / Facebook
