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dam-l NGO statement about SA's Skuifraam Dam/LS
Wildlife and Environment Society of SA: Western Cape Region
Position Statement on the approval of the construction of Skuifraam Dam
The Society believes that taking into account the needs of people and the
environment every effort should be made to use water resources efficiently
throughout the country. We are opposed to further exploitation of the
country's water resources through mass storage until existing supplies are
managed more efficiently. The impacts to the riverine ecosystems as well as
the people living downstream of such storage facilities are considerable.
WESSA:WC believes that the decision to approve the Skuifraam Dam on the
upper section on the Berg River has been taken prematurely. We acknowledge
water supply management efforts such as improved metering, increasing
tariffs and fixing of waterpipe leaks, undertaken to decrease current water
demand. The full effect of these measures evaluated against the need for a
new 56 to 72 million cubic metres per year dam however could not have been
comprehensively noted in the short period leading up to the decision to
proceed with the construction of Skuifraam Dam. WESSA: WC also believes that
a broader spectrum of water demand side management mechanisms could have
been implemented in order to reduce water use demand in the Western Cape and
thus decrease the need for the construction of a new dam in the near
future. Only in this way could the immediate need for a dam of this nature
be assessed.
WESSA: WC call son authorities in the Western Cape to:
* Increase the clearing of alien vegetation in the catchment areas.
* Implement a water restriction strategy incorporating industry,
agriculture, and excessive household users. the strategy should be an
incentive based water reduction system possibly targeting particular groups.
* Concurrently undertake an aggressive awareness campaign on water
management and water reduction measures. Initiate comprehensive and far
reaching education programs to encourage all sectors of the population, but
mainly the more affluent, to conserve water. These programs should encourage
harvesting and storing water from roods, covering domestic swimming pools,
installing fine spray domestic showers, efficient garden irrigation schemes
and establishing indigenous gardens. The agricultural sector should ensure
more efficient use of agricultural water. the industrial sector should
ensure a more conservative use of water and recycle where applicable.
* Enforce annual water audits in the agricultural and industrial sectors
* Continually re-assess new technology that would allow unconventional water
sources to be tapped.
* Undertake Municipal water recycling more aggressively.
The decision to go ahead with the Skuifraam Dam is particularly untimely and
contradictory. The World Commission on Dams, of which South Africa is a
participant, is still deliberating the impacts of and alternative to the
construction of large dams.
Contact : Leila Mahomed
Wildlife and Environment Society of SA: Western Cape Region
Tel: 021 7011397
Fax: 021 7011399
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Liane Greeff, Project Manager: NGO Liaison with, and Monitoring of the WCD
Environmental Monitoring Group, PO Box 18977, Wynberg, South Africa, 7824
E-mail: liane@kingsley.co.za Tel: +27 +21 7610549/788 2473 Fax: 762 2238
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