As the City prepares for its peak rainfall season between May and September, the focus is on ensuring effective stormwater management and road safety. This is part of the City’s climate adaptation strategy to prepare for potential shifts in weather patterns and rainfall intensity. The goal is to start winter preparation earlier to accommodate these shifts and protect residents and infrastructure.
City’s stormwater system overview
The city boasts an extensive stormwater system that includes:
- 7 500 kilometers of pipelines and culverts;
- 180 000 catch pits and 85 000 manholes and
- 850 detention ponds and 1 200 kilometers of maintained rivers, canals, and open channels.
The road infrastructure management branch takes care of cleaning and maintaining the pipelines, culverts, and related structures. The catchment, stormwater, and river management branch within the water and sanitation department manages rivers, canals, and major ponds.
Winter preparation plan
The winter preparation plan has three main goals:
Proactive cleaning: This involves clearing infrastructure in advance to prevent flooding.
Reactive cleaning: This addresses emergency complaints and unblocks stormwater infrastructure during floods.
Coordination of works: This involves working with the catchment, stormwater, and river management branch to analyse storm events and ensure a coordinated response.
The urban mobility and road infrastructure management District 3 manages its operational and maintenance activities through four internal depots:
- Sacks – Bellville Depot;
- Arnold Wilhelm – Parow Depot;
- Soxony – Goodwood Depot and
- Delft Depot (partially).
In addition to internal services, the city also utilizes contracted services via term tenders to support its efforts.
As weather patterns continue to shift, staying ahead of the game is crucial for the safety of the community.
