NMB Metro
In a tactical move to save every drop of water in the Nelson Mandela Bay region, the NMB Municipality is intensifying its alien vegetation clearing and catchment management work.
The first priority is the critically low Impofu and Churchill Dams.
With the total dam levels standing at just 12.62% of combined capacity as of Tuesday 14 February, the Municipality says its been working tirelessly to remove alien trees.
It says these trees are fast encroaching into the actual dam basins and upper reaches of the catchment areas of these two major dams, due to the ongoing severe drought.
Most of the alien vegetation comprises of Black Wattle and Port Jackson which are both very water-hungry tree species with the regrowth being at an alarming rate.
NMBM Infrastructure and Engineering Mayoral Committee Member, Cllr Dries van der Westhuizen says it has been proven that clearing alien vegetation is one of the most effective and cheapest ways of saving water.
To date, the Municipality has cleared 75 hectares of first phase bush clearing at each dam.
“We are currently clearing 10 hectares per month at both these dams which effectively saves us approximately 2.5 – 5 Megalitres of water per month at each site," said Van der Westhuizen.
He said the follow up herbicide spraying is vital to ensure that all regrowth is killed off to prevent reinfestation.
To date, the City has spent R5,87 million at Churchill and R4,18 million at Impofu Dams over the past two and a half financial years.
Earlier this year, NMBM decommissioned the Impofu Dam, which is the City’s biggest water supply dam, because its water levels are so low.
NMBM main supply dam water levels on 14 February 2023
Kouga Dam 12.65 %
Churchill Dam 26.51 %
Impofu Dam 6.91%
Loerie Dam 45.24 %
Groendal Dam 13.70 %
TOTAL 12.62 %.
