Mpumalanga dam levels drop to just above 90%
Water levels continue drop in the Mpumalanga Province, but the situation is still looks satisfactory just above 90%. According to latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 30 October 2023, the average water levels in the listed dams in the province dropped from last week’s 91.3% to 90.5%. The water management areas (WMAs) also dropped in water levels with the Olifants WMA dropping from 84.8% to 83.8% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 92.1% to 91.6%.
Water levels also dropped in terms of the districts, with Ehlanzeni dropping from 92.8% to 91.9%, Gert Sibande dropping from 87.8% to 87.1% and Nkangala dropping from 95.6% to 94.8%.
In the Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld, the majority of the listed dams recorded declines in water levels with the exception of Klipkopjes, Primkop and Da Gama dams which recorded some improvements, increasing from 97.2% to 97.6%, 100.0% to 100.2% and 92.8% to 93.7% respectively.
The listed dams that recorded declines in water levels in the Lowveld include Blyderivierpoort dropping from 88.8% to 86.7%, Buffelskloof from 82.8% to 79.7%, Ohrigstad from 62.0% to 59.2%, Driekoppies from 96.8% to 96.5%, Longmere from 89.7% to 86.6%, Witklip from 97.6% to 97.3%, Kwena from 86.8% to 84.7% and Inyaka from 97.0% to 96.9%.
Morgenstond Dam is the only listed dam that recorded some improvement in the Gert Sibande District, increasing from 97.7% to 97.8% and Vygeboom Dam remained unchanged at 100.7% while the rest recorded declines in water levels.
Grootdraai Dam dropped from 80.8% to 79.4%, Nooitgedacht from 80.8% to 79.4%, Jericho from 75.6% to 75.0%, Westoe from 45.5% to 43.8% and Heyshope from 97.4% to 97.2%
In the Nkangala District, Middelburg Dam remained unchanged at 92.8% while rest recorded declines in water volumes.
Witbank Dam dropped from 92.7% to 92.2%, Loskop from 95.8% to 94.8% and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo from 97.4% to 96.7%.
As the water levels continue to drop, the Department of Water and Sanitation encourages the public to be more responsible and conservative water users, taking into account that South Africa is a water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute.
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935 or Themba Khoza on 066 301 6962
