Lowveld dams holding steady as Mpumalanga water levels continue downward trend
The latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly State of Reservoirs report released this week shows that the majority of listed dams in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District of the Mpumalanga Province are holding steady despite Mpumalanga experiencing continuous declines in water levels.
According to the report, most of the dams in the Lowveld recorded unchanged water levels with Inyaka Dam even recording a slight increase from 100.1% to 100.2%. Despite the positive outlook in the region, there were also some few dams which recorded declines.
The dams which recorded unchanged levels include Kwena at 100.3%, Driekoppies at 100.2%, Witklip at 100.3%, Primkop at 101.1%, Klipkopjes at 99.4%Blyderivierpoort at 100.4%, and Buffelskloof at 100.2%.
The dams which recorded in the Lowveld include Longmere from 101.1% to 100.4%, Da Gama from 100.3% to 99.3%, and Ohrigstad from 97.8% to 97.0%.
Listed dams in the other two districts of the Mpumalanga Province recorded decreases at most. In the Nkangala District, Witbank and Middelburg dams recorded declines, dropping from 99.2% to 99.1% and from 96.1% to 95.8% respectively. Loskop Dam recorded an improvement from 100.3% to 100.5%, whilst Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo Dam remained unchanged at 100.5%.
All the listed dams in the Gert Sinade District recorded declines in water levels. Grootdraai Dam dropping from 98.6% to 97.1%. Nooitgedacht Dam from 98.5% to 97.9%, Vygeboom Dam from 100.5% to 100.4%, Jericho Dam from 92.1% to 92.0%, Westoe from 62.8% to 61.0%, Morgenstond Dam from 99.2% to 99.1%, and Heyshope Dam from 100.2% to 99.9%.
The report also shows a continuous drop in the average water levels in the Mpumalanga Province and the Water Management Areas (WMA). The average dam levels in the province dropped from 98.7% to 98.4%. In the water management areas, the Limpopo-Olifants WMA recorded a drop from 100.1% to 99.9% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped from 98.1% to 97.9%.
In terms of water levels per district, Gert Sibande dropped from 100.2% to 100.1%, Ehlanzeni from 97.2% to 96.5%. Nkangala was the only shining light, recording a slight increase from 99.9% to 100.0%.
The Department of Water and Sanitation urges residents and all water users to heighten their water conservation efforts as water levels continue to drop in the Mpumalanga Province.
DWS further reminds all water users that South Africa is a water-scarce country, and that long-term water security depends on the collective commitment to using water responsibly and efficiently. Every litre saved today helps to protect scarce water resources and secure water availability for future generations.
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
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