The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has recorded another week of improvements in dam storage levels across the Western Cape, with major water supply systems continuing to show steady gains as the winter rainfall season progresses.
The latest weekly dam report indicates sustained increases across key dams, contributing positively to water availability for domestic, agricultural and economic use across the province.
According to the latest data, the Cape Town Water Supply System (CTWSS) increased from 73.27% last week to 74.68% this week, reflecting an increase of more than one percentage point.
Overall storage in Western Cape State dams also improved, rising from 74.69% last week to 75.96% this week, indicating healthy water storage levels across the province.
The Theewaterskloof Dam, the largest dam in the Cape Town Water Supply System, increased from 75.12% to 75.57%, further strengthening water security for the greater Cape Town region and surrounding municipalities.
In other catchments, including Gouritz and Olifants-Doorn, most dams continue to exceed 100% capacity following recent rainfall. The Clanwilliam Dam also recorded a notable increase, rising from 90.65% last week to 93.13% this week.
This represents a significant improvement compared to the same period last year, when the dam stood at 41.42%, providing welcome assurance for residents and the agricultural sector that depend on the dam for their water supply.
On the Garden Route, the Akkerkloof Dam increased from 25.9% last week to 30.6% this week. The improvement follows pumping operations undertaken by the department last week, resulting in an increase of almost five percentage points after the dam had remained in the low twenties for an extended period.
Commenting on the latest dam levels, the DWS Western Cape Provincial Head, Ms Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, said the continued upward trend was encouraging, while emphasising the importance of maintaining responsible water use.
“I am particularly encouraged by the current level at Clanwilliam Dam, which is now above 90%. This significantly strengthens water security for both residents and the farming communities that rely on the dam,” said Bila-Mupariwa.
Bila-Mupariwa further reminded residents that, despite the positive trend in dam levels, South Africa remains a water-scarce country and water should continue to be used wisely.
“We encourage all water users to continue practising responsible water use. Conserving water remains essential to ensuring long-term water security for our communities, economy and future generations.”
The department will continue to monitor dam levels and hydrological conditions across the province and provide regular updates on the status of water resources throughout the winter rainfall season.
Individual dams are as follows:
| Dam name | This week | Last week | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theewaterskloof | 75.57% | 75.12% | 63.06% |
| Steenbras Upper | 86.22% | 83.39% | 92.39% |
| Steenbras Lower | 47.02% | 47.76% | 44.86% |
| Voëlvlei | 59.23% | 59.39% | 61.53% |
| Berg River Catchment | 68.61% | 67.67% | 75.09% |
| Wemmershoek | 99.95% | 99.90% | 63.07% |
Enquiries:
Lebogang Maseko
Acting Deputy Director: Media Liaison and Content Development
Cell: 083 661 7859
E-mail: MasekoL2@dws.gov.za
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