The Leiwater

Who this page is for

This page is for Stanford residents, irrigation and landscape contractors, garden services and estate agents — and for anyone who wants to understand how the village's leiwater works.

History and heritage

Stanford's leiwater — the open irrigation furrow and sluices that run through the village — was listed on the Heritage Register in 2019 as a Grade IIIA heritage resource. The Overstrand Heritage Inventory identifies it as integral to the look of the town, with social and technological significance. Much of its route lies in the demarcated heritage area. It is a rare example of functioning heritage: in many places the channel also carries stormwater. Any changes, repairs or amendments to channels must be approved in advance by the Leiwater Management Committee, which refers queries to the Stanford Heritage Committee when needed.

The system dates back to 1855–1857, and a water mill on the Kleine Riviers Valley property around 1831–1838 points to even earlier local water management. When the first 200 erven were laid out, a furrow and channel network was built alongside the street grid. According to Heritage Western Cape, plots were auctioned from May 1856 with reference to the water, which residents could use “for culinary and other domestic purposes”, and some 97 original leibeurte (water turns) were allocated. Water rights have generally passed to later owners and subdivisions, provided the title deed still includes access to leiwater. Leiwater has always stirred feelings: in 1967 eight residents, two of them women over 80, were summoned to court for watering their vegetable gardens during water restrictions.

Where the water comes from

The water in the channels comes from Die Oog, a natural spring on municipal land just over a kilometre south of Stanford, which yields some 4.7 million litres a day. After domestic supply is pumped off, the rest runs through about 4.12 km of open channels and 3.03 km of pipes before flowing into the Klein River, where it feeds the estuary. It is excess to Stanford's mains water needs and is not treated or filtered. Flow and volume are not constant — you should not rely on leiwater alone for gardens, pools, ponds or landscaping. In the dry summer months, when domestic use rises, everyone can expect very low volumes.

How the water is shared

To share the water fairly, the system is divided into about 12 sectors, each with an allocated time on a schedule (a beurt). The schedule can change to match supply and demand. The current schedule is below.

A small volunteer team — the Leiwater Management Committee and the Sector Leaders — manages water allocation and schedules, the main sluices, liaison with the municipality, and day-to-day communication. Lists of leiwater users are updated with the municipality from time to time so that charges can appear on rates bills. Properties that use leiwater are expected to have access rights and/or a long history of use on their title.

Looking after the channels

The municipality maintains the main channels. Residents should keep the channels next to their property clean and free of debris, leaves and rubbish so water can flow.

Sluice gates (wood or solid) should not be more than about two-thirds the height of the channel, so water can overflow and flooding is less likely. Leaf catchers are used at key points. Plastic sandbags are banned from the channels — they break down, spill sand and block pipes under driveways and roads that are hard to reach and clean. Only double- or triple-bagged hessian sandbags may be used to support wooden sluices.

Can I get access to leiwater?

If your property is next to an existing channel, check your title deed. If it says your property is entitled to leiwater, contact the Leiwater Management Committee at leiwater@stanfordconservation.org, and have a copy of your title deed on hand.

Dos and don'ts

• Don't block a channel completely. Let the first flow pass to clear dust and leaves.
• Stick to the schedule, unless a change has been agreed with the other users in your sector.
• Use a sluice gate (a piece of wood will do) at no more than two-thirds of the channel height — not plastic sandbags.
• As soon as your turn ends, close off the inlet to your property so users downstream get their full share.
• Don't design a garden that depends only on leiwater.
• Don't wash contaminants into the channel (paints, oils, detergents, cement, pool backwash, and the like).
• Be considerate of neighbours and the environment — leiwater ends up in the dam, vlei and river.

Leiwater Management Committee: Lyn Pullen, Karin Pohl, Jonathon Taylor and Katie Smuts.

When something goes wrong

Contact your Sector Leader. Not sure who your Sector Leader is? Email leiwater@stanfordconservation.org and we'll put you in touch.

Recent work

During heavy summer rains and storms, parts of the system failed badly. Sector Leaders and municipal workers kept the channels running: they cleared sluices, unblocked channels and repaired damage, including major upheaval from tree roots in Queen Victoria Street. Thank you to everyone who helped. The channels damaged in Queen Victoria Street still need repair. In winter, several sluices stay locked open to help carry away stormwater.