International Museum Month, recognised in May, is drawing to an end but the public still have the opportunity to visit the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate’s Woodhead Dam Museum, situated across the Hely Hutchinson Dam on Table Mountain. This museum offers a detailed exploration of the Woodhead Dam's history, its intricate construction process, and its role as one of Cape Town’s primary water sources back in the day.
Read more below:
Operating since 1972 and managed by the Bulk Water branch of the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, the museum provides a rich history of the 127-year-old Woodhead Dam. Visitors can view displays of specialised equipment such as the steam train, hand tools, instruments, and flow measuring devices used during the dam's construction.
The area is home to five minor dams: Woodhead, Hely Hutchinson, Alexandra, De Villiers, and Victoria. These dams are crucial for supplying water to the Kloof Nek and Constantia Kloof Water Treatment Plants, which then distribute water to the Central City and surrounding areas via the Molteno Reservoir.
The museum operates intermittently between 09:00 and 14:00 on weekdays, subject to staff availability. Access is available via a hike up Table Mountain from Constantia Nek or by using the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway.
This year’s theme, “Museums, Education, and Research,” highlighted the critical role museums play in providing a holistic educational experience and promotes a more conscious, sustainable, and inclusive world.
In commemoration of International Museum Day on 18 May 2024, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, paid tribute to the museum’s extensive collection of information and artefacts.
‘The Woodhead Dam Museum showcases an important part of the City’s water history. We encourage residents and visitors to Cape Town to explore the Woodhead Dam Museum when visiting Table Mountain. The dam was built during a time of significant water shortages in the 1850s, similar to what we experienced between 2015 and 2018.
‘We are currently working diligently to secure our future water supply through our New Water Programme, which aims to increase the City's daily water supply to 300 million litres by 2040. This will be achieved by diversifying our water sources and reducing Cape Town’s reliance on dams and unpredictable rainfall. In the meantime, the public is reminded to be water-wise at all times, regardless of dam levels and the season. Water is a precious resource that needs to be conserved and not wasted,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
To delve deeper into this rich history, please contact the following people to arrange visits, subject to staff availability:
- Lester Smith: 021 400 3143
- Mogamat Tape Samsodien: 021 444 9577
- Gregory Samuels: 021 444 9584
Supplied by: City of Cape Town
