With the recent rainfall in Cape Town, locals are becoming more optimistic about the prospects of receiving good winter rainfall. The city is expected to receive significant rainfall this week, giving us hope that this year’s winter rainfall may just be enough to carry the drought-striken city through to 2019.
Heavy rainfall will lead to localised flooding this week in the Cape metropole, Cape Winelands District and parts of the Overberg District.
A cold front is expected to bring rain into the Western parts of the province. Between 5mm and 20mm of rain are to be expected to fall, with areas in the mountain receiving between 25mm and 35mm. Strong winds can be expected over the central and eastern interior ahead of the cold front.
The weather clear during the course of Tuesday morning and rain will return from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, where 5mm to 20mm can be expected.
Another cold front will hit parts of the Western Cape on Friday evening, with a rainfall of 1mm to 5mm.
The Drakenstein Municipality will assist the Department of Water in patrolling the Berg River following the release of water from the Berg River Dam to Misverstand Dam in Saldanha.
Last week, images allegedly surfaced of illegal pumping occurring in the Berg River area, with sandbags being used to direct water meant for domestic and industrial use into private dams for farmers in the area.
The Drakenstein Municipality has now said that its law enforcement has obtained temporary Blue Scorpion status and are now able to enter farms in order to remove or confiscate illegal water-redirecting equipment.
According to the City’s Water Outlook 2018 report, augmentation schemes including the harnessing of the Cape Flats aquifer, which will deliver ±80 million litres a day, have been under way.
