Kayleen Morgan

There are signs of improvement in Knysna’s water situation, with municipal officials saying that recent interventions are beginning to boost supply. The municipality said that dam levels have increased, and national government has pledged additional support. Knysna’s Mayor Thando Matika said that the town is starting to see progress in efforts to increase water supply. He said that water reserves have increased in recent days, following emergency interventions and additional support.

Knysna’s looming water crisis is not only placing pressure on residents, but is now beginning to hit one of the town’s most important economic lifelines, tourism. Guesthouses and hospitality businesses say fears around a potential Day Zero are already translating into cancellations and growing uncertainty.

As Knysna grapples with a deepening water crisis, attention is turning to what happens to water before it reaches households. With dam levels critically low and the town trying to avert a potential day zero, local leaders said massive water losses inside the system are making the situation hard to manage. ALSO READ: WC govt working around the clock to avoid 'day zero' in Knysna Concerns are growing about how much treated water is being lost and how much of what remains cannot be properly tracked.