Mayor gives assurances on safety from dam floods

Kouga Municipality will install a siphon system to drain water systematically from the Santareme dam and to ease pressure on the dam’s walls.

This was said by Kouga’s mayor, Booi Koerat, echoing an earlier announcement by the St Francis Bay Residents’ Association (SFBA) after a site meeting with Kouga Municipality’s technical team this morning (17 September 2012).

Koerat also gave assurances there is no immediate danger that the dam between the dunes above Santareme will breach and flood the area.

“While the dune walls of the dam showed no sign of structural strain, we aim to have the system in place within the next few days. The water will be siphoned out and diverted into our storm water system,” he said.

The Mayor said staff will also be closely monitoring the dam in the event of further rain.

He also said two municipal sewerage lines had been severed by the torrent of water that flooded through Santareme on Saturday, September 15, after the wall of the smaller dune dam breached.

He further assured residents there was no danger of a sewerage spill as there was sufficient capacity at the pump station for the sewerage to be stored until temporary lines had been installed. “Vacuum tankers will also be brought in if necessary,” he stated. “We will start with the permanent repairs once the damage has been assessed by our insurance company.”

Damage to a water pipe in Tom Brown Boulevard, which left several houses without water, was repaired on Saturday.

The Mayor expressed his heartfelt condolences to those home-owners who were affected by the disaster. He further thanked municipal staff who worked tirelessly over the weekend to restore the water supply and to fill up the craters that had been ripped into the sidewalks and roads. 

See earlier and related story on the dam from this morning: 

http://stfrancischronicle.com/2012/09/17/no-immediate-danger-of-flooding-from-santareme-dam-experts/

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