The Story of the Water Supply in George A story of human needs out-stepping human vision. 1811 FOUNDING of GEORGE The Magisterial District (Drostdy) and town of George, named after King George III of Britain. Proclaimed by Lord Caledon, Governor of the Cape Colony. Adrian Gysbertus van Kervel was appointed the first Landdrost (Magistrate) of the District. 1812 FURROWS Caledon St 1812 Water Furrows (blue lines),were led from the East Kloof stream below George Peak into the town. 1830s O Dam There was a natural vlei which was excavated to make a round dam, called the O Dam. The dam now boasts a bird hide. 1875 D Dam Adjacent to the O dam. Van Kervel and his surveyor, Voorman, found a perennial stream in the eastern kloof below George Peak to supply the new town with water. (See Map 2) Furrows were cut from the East Kloof stream to the main streets in town for the water supply. 1777 Furrow for Post House at bottom of York St York St Courtenay St The water furrow bottom right and bridge to the house. FW Brooke c 1920 MAP 1 1819 Map of town of George by surveyor Petersen The Drostdy, at the top York Street, completed in 1815, was the residence of the Magistrate. Now the home of the George Museum.
1840s SLUICE GATES Each house was allowed to open their sluice gate for just 2 hours each week. The picture shows an example of how the gates were opened or closed to divert water from the street furrow to irrigate gardens. (The water is running from left to right.) OPEN (Gate up) 1860s POLLUTION There had always been the problem of dirty water in the furrows. An irate resident s letter in the 1869 newspaper complained about the shocking and disgusting state of our watercourses. Why must our water-courses be reservoirs for old dirty hats, caps, boots etc; why bathing places for ducks and geese; and why, every bit of them, drinking pools for horses and cattle? A few years later, ostriches added to the problem. CLOSED (Gate down ) Sluice Gates 1883 Water house wall above. 1883 WATER SCHEME A new 100 000 gallon [454 cubic metre] stone water house and filter reservoir were built. A furrow was cut to connect the East and West streams. (See Map 2) A cattle watering pond was also made in town. Ou Janwaterfiskaal, John (Jan) Meyer, the Street Keeper (town engineer), had to walk up the hill to the water house to close off the water supply at night during droughts. He also chased the children when they used catties to kill the frogs which polluted the furrows. Waterfall on East Kloof stream. 1884 STAND-PIPES The water-house, was filled by never-failing springs from the mountain. Iron pipes were led into town and drinking water could be drawn from taps on stand-pipes at street corners and central positions. Water pipes were extended to meet the growing needs of the town from 1903. But some people, accustomed to the ever-running furrows, left these taps running all the time. George Hotel 1895 1895 photo shows a stand-pipe for drinking water on the on the corner of York Street and Montagu (now named Langenhoven) Street. The furrows still supplied water for all other needs. York St Stand-pipe Close-up shows lions head.
1890s WATER SHORTAGES There was always a shortage of water as the supply fell short in meeting demand as the town grew. Water schemes to improve the water supply were proposed on many occasions but were turned down by the ratepayers because of the cost. Leah Paulsen, a laundress, c 1900, was famous for her white shirts. She was one of the lucky residents who had a spring or well with clean, white water. 1907 RAILWAY The coming of the railway to George created an urgent need to find additional sources of water as steam engines would need 10 000 gallons per day. Symonds Lane Rain resulted in red mud from the dirt roads washing into the furrows to add to the water-drinkers woes. It was proposed to pipe water from the Swart River. Droughts and Leaks All the concrete reservoirs leaked soon after construction and during the drought years created serious water shortages. MAP 2 1830s A Stone Wall had been built across the East Kloof stream to make a small dam 1883 Water House & Filter Reservoir. FURROW cut to link the West Kloof and East Kloof streams. 1924 Purification Works and Break-Pressure Tank 1925 West Kloof Dam & Pipe line D & O Dams 1920 The image shows an empty waterhouse overlooking the Witfontein plantation and a view of George. 1923 WEST KLOOF WATER SCHEME Sale of Commonage Plots by the Municipality realised 20 000 and provided the funds to pay for both the water and electric lighting schemes. 1924 PURIFICATION WORKS The purification works and a break-pressure tank were built on the East Kloof stream. 11 ½ miles (18,5 km) of cast iron pipes were laid from the purification works to houses in the town. 1925 ELECTRICITY But it took until New Year s Eve of 1925 when Mayor John Urban called Let there be light, pressed a switch, and lo and behold, the streets of George were flooded with electric light for the first time.
11925 WEST KLOOF DAM (See Map 2) Seven million gallon (31 823 cubic metres) reservoir of the arch type, enclosed the ravine below the railway tunnel at a cost of 24 700. Rustic bridges enabled people to walk on the wall. It was a popular walk to the dam for a picnic. 1926 After a flood, rocks washed into the dam from the spoil from the construction of the railway built in 1913. Railway line Tunnel The overflow for the West Kloof dam is on the left-hand side of the Google image. It flows into the original course of the West Kloof stream in the ravine below the dam wall. 1934 A PUMPING STATION Built on the Swart River and water was to be pumped to the purification works in time of drought. The Mayor rashly stated that the water supply for George was assured for the next 20 years! A couple of months after the Mayor s optimistic view, there was another drought and another water shortage. The purification works were also out of order. Once again George had a water shortage crisis. Regardless of warnings about the water shortage, it was reported: A large number of persons still leave their taps running day and night for want of a tap washer. Council to prosecute. Boreholes were considered as emergency measures. 1939 SWART RIVER DAM Construction was completed on the 60 million gallon (272 765 cubic metre) dam on the upper reaches of the Swart River above the horseshoe bend of the railway line to Oudtshoorn. The arch wall was 91 feet (28 m) high. 1939 Swart River Dam 1939 WHITE WATER George s water has been compared to many beverages Adam s Ale, sherry and rooibos. An American tourist said she could not bathe in Coca Cola. The beer-coloured George water was transformed to crystal white water for just a week. The second World War broke out and imports of chemicals ceased. Horse-shoe bend of railway line Tributaries of the Swart River flow from the surrounding mountains: van Dalen s Peak, Cradock Peak, Skurwekop, Kranzberg and Tierkop Swart River
1955 RAISING OF THE SWART RIVER DAM WALL Construction began in 1950. Capacity was increased to 160 million gallons (727 375 cubic metres) by raising the height of the wall. Swart River Dam wall raised by 25 ft (7,6 m) in 1955 A new one million gallon (4 546 cubic metre) service reservoir for the filtration plant was also constructed. The patched-up old West Kloof Dam remained in use. 1956 NEW PURIFICATION PLANT Built in an old quarry across the railway line north of Denneoord. Almost clear water ran from the taps. 1964 WHITE WATER At long last, the correct dosage of chemicals at the purification plant was balanced, resulting finally, in clean, clear white water flowing from the taps in George. 1973 KAAIMAN S RIVER PUMPHOUSE Pipes were laid from the Kaaiman s river and water pumped to the purification works to supplement the supply of the leaking Swart River Dam. 1979 THE GARDEN ROUTE DAM The earthen wall is 40 m high with an 11,01 million cubic metre capacity situated lower down below the Swart River Dam in the Swart River Kloof. Completed in October 1979. After the worst drought in a century, the empty dam filled overnight after 250 mm of rain in 36 hours in January 1981. This was the year of the disastrous floods in Laingsburg and the highest rainfall of 1 656 mm ever recorded in George. Spillway 2009 2010 DROUGHT Dam level dropped to a record low with three weeks supply left before the rains came. Emergency measures included the drilling of boreholes and the recycling of grey water and effluent. 2015 Proposal to raise the spillway by 3,5 m to increase the capacity to 13,46 million cubic metres as well as making provision to pump water from the Malgas River to the Garden Route Dam. 2009 2010 drought Dam level dropped to 16.9% Photo: R Hossack Research and compilation: Lynne Thompson Images: George Museum Archives or as titled.