The Umvoti River has dried up and trenches have been dug to find water.
Jacqueline Herbst
The Umvoti River has run dry and Ilembe district municipality has resorted to digging trenches to find water.
The Umvoti River on November 2, 2015, reduced to a narrow stream.“Crocodile skin” appears where the river dries up.The trench dug in the dry riverbed, leading towards the extraction plant in the background.The natural river has been dug right through to the bedrock and can go no further. This water flows towards the extraction plant in the background.A trench dug in the river bed to find water.A trench dug in the river bed to find water.A trench dug in the river bed to find water.Only three out of seven pumps can reach the extremely low water level.Ilembe has dug as deep as they can go for water around the extraction plant, reaching its foundations. After this, there will be no more water.Ilembe district municipality deputy director of operations and maintenance, Notha Maphumulo, pointing to where the water level used to be, years ago when he started woring at the Iiembe municipality. The bottom line is just below the current water level.
