Mpumalanga water levels continue to drop.
The latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 27 May 2024 shows that water levels continue to drop in the Mpumalanga Province as the average dam levels dropped from 95.9% to 95.7% over the past week. Water levels also dropped in the Water Management Areas (WMAs) with the Olifants WMA dropping from 86.3% to 85.9% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 96.3% to 96.0%.
The DWS weekly report also shows that the districts recorded declines in water volumes with Ehlanzeni dropping from 99.3% to 99.2%, Gert Sibande dropping from 93.2% to 93.1%, and Nkangala dropping from 97.3% to 96.9%.
Most of the listed dams in Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld remained unchanged with only Driekoppies Dam recording a slight improvement from 99.9% to 100.0%.
The listed dams that remained unchanged in water levels include Blyderivierpoort Dam at 100.2%, Longmere at 98.2%, Klipkopjes at 99.6%, Witklip at 100.3%, Primkop at 100.9% and Da Gama at 99.8%.
The listed dams that recorded declines in water levels in Ehlanzeni and the Lowveld include Buffelskloof dropping from 96.1% to 94.1%, Kwena from 100.2% to 100.1%, Inyaka from 100.2% to 100.1%, and Ohrigstad from 64.3% to 63.0%.
Grootdraai and Jericho dams are the only listed dams that recorded improvements in Gert Sibande District, increasing from 92.3% to 92.6% and from 67.6% to 68.0%, respectively. Vygeboom Dam remained unchanged at 100.3%.
The listed dams that recorded declines in Gert Sibande District include Nooitgedacht Dam dropping from 92.7% to 92.0%, Westoe from 68.2% to 66.6%, Morgenstond from 87.1% to 86.3%, and Heyshope from 101.0% to 100.8%.
Dam levels continue to drop in the Nkangala District with all the listed dams recording declines in water volumes. Witbank Dam dropped from 97.6% to 97.3%, Middelburg Dam from 94.7% to 94.5%, Loskop Dam from 99.4% to 98.9%, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo from 94.1% to 93.8%.
With the continuing decline in water levels, the Department of Water and Sanitation encourages the public to continue using the available water wisely and sparingly taking into consideration that we are now in the dry winter season and the fact that South Africa is a dry and water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute.
DWS further encourages the public to protect water resources, especially from pollution to ensure sustainable freshwater supply and water security for the current and 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
