GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - A drive to collect drinking water for Graaff-Reinet has been initiated in George and members of the public are invited to drop off donations at the BP Oasis filling station in Kraaibosch by Monday 23 December.
"In the spirit of Christmas, the aim is to collect 10 tons of water for this drought-stricken town," says Oasis manager, Nizaam Mansoor.
He and Georgian Francois Salvadore are joining hands with South African Water Warriors, that will assist with the project.
Graaff-Reinet's main water supply from the Nqweba Dam dried up in October, leaving the population of over 37 000 people with an inadequate supply from boreholes. Graaff-Reinet Advertiser journalist Christo Vermaak reports that nine new boreholes drilled by Gift of the Givers are providing about 320 000 litres of water per day.
However, Dr Gideon Groenewald, Gift of the Givers chief hydrologist, told Vermaak that the demand is bigger than the borehole yield. According to Groenewald, the crisis is "far beyond a drought - it is becoming a humanitarian disaster". Help is urgently needed.
For more information on the water collection drive, contact Maggie on 084 061 3999 or Pieter du Plessis of Water Warriors on 076 844 6435.
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