Mpumalanga water levels continue to drop, DWS urges communities to use water wisely
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) calls on residents to strengthen water conservation efforts and use the available water wisely and sparingly as the Mpumalanga Province continue to record week-on-week decreases.
The latest State of Reservoirs report compiled by the Department’s Hydrology unit shows that the provincial average recorded a drop from 97.8% to 97.3%. The Water Management Areas also continue to decrease, with the Limpopo-Olifants dropping from 93.1% to 92.5%, and the Inkomati-Usuthu down from 96.7% to 96.1%.
Water levels also continue to drop at district level with Ehlanzeni District recording a 0.8% drop from 94.2% to 93.4%, Gert Sibande District dropping by 0.4% from 98.3% to 97.9%, and the Nkangala District decreasing by 0.3% from 100.2% to 99.9%.
Most of the listed dams in the Mpumalanga Province recorded decreases in water volumes with the exception Klipkopjes, Primkop, and Witbank dams which recorded some improvements, and Grootdraai dam which remained unchanged. Klipkopjes and Primkop dams which are in Ehlanzeni District recorded increases from 88.1% to 88.5% and 85.7% to 86.3% respectively, Witbank dam in Nkangala District increased from 100.1% to 101.1%. Grootdraai Dam in Gert Sibande District remains stable and unchanged at 98.6%.
The listed dams which recorded declining water levels in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District include Blyderivierspoort Dam from 95.3% to 93.4%, Buffelskloof Dam from 100.2% to 100.1%, Driekoppies Dam from 91.4% to 90.9%, Longmere Dam from 97.4% to 91.6%, Witklip Dam from 96.4% to 94.9%, Kwena Dam from 98.5% to 97.5%, Da Gama Dam from 95.5% to 93.7%, Inyaka Dam from 96.3% to 95.7%, and Ohrigstad Dam from 72.0% to 70.2%.
In the Gert Sibande District, Nooitgedacht Dam dropped from 99.4% to 99.0%, Vygeboom Dam from 100.2% to 99.7%, Jericho Dam from 94.4% to 93.2%, Westoe Dam from 79.8% to 77.6%, Morgenstond Dam from 100.0% to 99.8%, and Heyshope Dam from 100.1% to 99.9%. The report also shows that all the listed dams in the Gert Sibande District are now sitting below the 100% mark.
In the Nkangala District, the listed dams which recorded declines include Middelburg Dam dropping from 95.4% to 95.3%, Loskop Dam from 100.6% to 100.3%, and Rhensterkop / Mkhombo Dam dropping below 100% from 100.5% to 99.6%.
The Department reminds the public that South Africa is one of the 30 driest countries in the world and encourages communities in Mpumalanga and across the country to prioritise and improve water conservation measures in their households.
For more information, contact:
Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 060 561 8935
Themba Khoza
Cell: 066 301 6962
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