To prevent the loss of millions of rands in agricultural produce, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture has funded close to R1-million to provide an interim solution to this month’s collapse of a section of one of the canals fed by the Clanwilliam dam.

The concrete gravity dam on the Olifants river, in the Western Cape, was established in 1935, mainly, to provide irrigation water to the agricultural region downstream.

The provincial Department of Agriculture said in a release on Wednesday that it had spent R975 000 on a generator and water pumps to stabilise the water supply to farms and residents in the area by pumping water across the damaged section.

Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde, who was set to conduct a site visit of the area later this week, explained that the break involved a 184 m section of the canal near Klawer, dramatically reducing water supply to farms downstream.

“More than 300 farmers, 6 000 ha of irrigation and residents in nearby communities were affected. This presented a huge threat to the farmers working with table and wine grapes as well as vegetables. It also threatened seasonal jobs for local residents.

“A plan to fix the canal will need to follow. This is actually the responsibility of the national Department of Water and Sanitation,” he pointed out.

Under the National Water Act, the Lower Olifants River Water Users Association was responsible for the maintenance and management of the facilities.

With the cost of repairing the aging infrastructure adding up, the Western Cape department noted that the association did not have the funds to buy the additional pumps and generator.