Flash flood leaves Central Karoo uncertain on water supply

The Beaufort West Municipality in the Western Cape is grappling with an uncertain timeline to restore water supply to the Central Karoo town following damage to the main pipeline caused by flash floods last week. The harm to the 600mm pipe, which serves as the primary water source for the town, has rendered it submerged and inaccessible to repair teams.

Consequently, water tanker assistance from neighboring municipalities has been deployed to help alleviate the crisis. A Joint Operations Centre, including various stakeholders, has been set up to manage the emergency. Acting Municipal Manager Frans Sabbat revealed that the team's inability to reach the submerged pipe has delayed further assessment and subsequent restoration efforts. While the municipality has not declared the situation yet, it has labeled it an emergency.