Area of Supply
The physical area of this study is the Mbombela Municipal Area. However, this
area straddles the Crocodile and Sabie River catchments (See Figure 1) which
necessitates a broader approach than only considering the water use and water
resources within the municipal boundaries. The water resources of the Sabie and
Crocodile catchments have been included in the study area for the purposes of
sourcing possible future water resources for Mbombela.
Figure 1: Study area showing the Mbombela Municipal Area and the Sabie and Crocodile River catchments.
Planning for the future
The water use within the Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM) has increased rapidly over the last few years and the available water resources will soon be insufficient to supply the users within the municipal area at an acceptable level of assurance. This Reconciliation Strategy is therefore about planning for the future. Increased irrigation and forestry does not specifically form part of this future planning, but should a large regional scheme be identified which makes more water available than required for domestic and industrial use, then conjunctive use with irrigation expansion could be considered as a future option.
Sources of Water
Currently Mbombela Municipality obtain most of their water directly from the Crocodile River, supplemented by releases from the Kwena Dam. Smaller dams such as Witklip, Klipkopjes and Longmere provide water to the White River town. Water is also abstracted directly from the Sabie River with support from the Inyaka Dam.
The water resources of the Crocodile and Sabie catchments, identified as sources of water for Mbombela are fully utilised in the case of the Crocodile catchment and fully allocated in the case of the Sabie catchment. There is however potential for water resources development within the Crocodile catchment.
Implementation: Study Steering Committee
The study will be guided by a Study Steering Committee (SSC) consisting of key role-players and stakeholders within the study area. This includes representatives from various Directorates within DWS as well as representatives from Mbombela Municipality, the Incomati Catchment Management Agency, the irrigation sector and the Kruger National Park. The first stakeholder meeting was held on 31 May 2012 and the minutes from this meeting and presentations made at this meeting are available on this website.
It is envisaged that towards the end of this study, the SSC will be replaced by a Strategy Steering Committee whose role will be to maintain and monitor the implementation of the strategy on a continual basis.
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