Mpumalanga water levels drop below 70%
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 17 August 2020 shows that water levels in the listed dams in the Mpumalanga Province continue to drop as the average level in the Province is now below 70%.
According to the weekly water status report, the average water in the listed dams in the Mpumalanga Province dropped from last week’s 70.2% to 69.9%, meaning there is currently 1771.1 cubic meters of water out of the full capacity requirement of 2538.6 cubic meters. Even though the water levels continue to drop, the situation is better that the same period last year when the water levels stood at 67.1%.
According to the report, water levels also continue to drop in the catchment areas with the Olifants water management area (WMA) dropping from last week’s 65.2% to 64.8% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 67.2% to 66.7%.
Out of all the listed dams in the Mpumalanga Province, Primkop Dam in the Ehlanzeni District is the only dam that recorded some improvement in water volumes, increasing from 89.6% to 90.2%. Morgenstond Dam in the Gert Sibande District remained unchanged at 45.6% whilst the Rhenosterkop Dam in the Nkangala District remained unchanged at the critically low 1.7% and the rest of the listed dams dropped in water levels.
In the Ehlanzeni District, Buffelskloof Dam dropped from 70.8% to 69.5%, Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped from 89.3% to 87.1%, Driekoppies Dam dropped from 72.9% to 72.8%, Longmere Dam dropped from 63.2% to 58.5%, Klipkopjes Dam dropped from 12.8% to12.4%, Witklip Dam dropped from 71.2% to 70.1%, Kwena Dam dropped from 54.4% to 53.6%, Da Gama Dam dropped from 55.4% to 53.7%, Inyaka Dam dropped from 53.1% to 52.5% and Ohrigstad Dam dropped from11.8% to 11.5%.
In the Gert Sibande District, Grootdraai Dam dropped from 80.6% to 79.9%, Nooitgedacht Dam dropped from 86.3% to 86.1%, Vygeboom Dam dropped from 92.2% to 90.9%, Jericho Dam dropped from 77.5% to 77.3%, Westoe Dam dropped from 35.7% to 34.3% and Heyshope Dam dropped from 74.1% to 73.5%.
In the Nkangala District, Witbank Dam dropped from 96.7% to 96.6%, Middelburg Dam dropped from 90.0% to 89.4% and Loskop Dam dropped from 99.9% to 99.7%.
DWS urges the public to continue using water in a wise, sparing and conservative manner for water security and to ensure that everyone has access to water, the source of life, especially during this period of the struggle against the coronavirus.
The Department also reminds the public that South Africa is a water scarce country and we are still in the dry winter season in most parts of the country, therefore responsible water use is critical for water security for current and future generations.
For more information, contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
082 874 2942 or
Themba Khoza on 066 301 6962
