Heavy downpours bring solace as country’s dam levels improve
Widespread rainfall witnessed in large parts of the country has boosted water levels. This comes as a relief since the country’s dam levels were on a continuous decline in the last while.
The weekly dam levels report issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation has indicated a slight increase of the water levels in the reservoirs of the country to 89.8% this week, compared to last week’s 87.6%. This is a notable improvement from last year’s 77.8%.
Most of the country’s Water Supply Systems are on an upward spiral week on week. The Integrated Vaal River System, the biggest System in the country, which is comprised of 14 dams with catchments in four provinces, namely Free State, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and North West, elevated from last week’s 91.5% to 93.3% this week.
Some of the Water Supply Systems that have experienced increments week on week are Amathole, expanding marginally from 93.0% last week to 93.4% this week; Bloemfontein from 92.8% to 93.1%; Luvuvhu from 98.8% to 99.0%; Orange from 94.3% to 99.0%; Polokwane from 92.7% to 92.9%; Umgeni from 94.9% to 96.0% as well as both Crocodile East and West have risen from 82.5% to 82.9%, and 84.9% to 89.4% respectively.
The Gariep, which is South Africa's largest dam soared from 94.3% last week and is sitting at 102.6% this week, while Sterkfontein Dam, a reserve dam within IVRS, is at 100.1%, showing an increase from last week’s water level of 99.6%. Vaal Dam has also increased from 89.9% to 91.3%.
A total of seven (7) provinces out of nine (9) have experienced overall improvements in water levels. Eastern Cape water levels broadly experienced a slight increase with the provincial water storage level at 75.2% this week, up from last week’s 74.3% albeit marginally.
Provinces that have experienced increments in the water levels this week include Free State from 93.5% to 96.8%, Limpopo from 82.0% to 82.5%, Gauteng from 96.9% to 97.8%, KwaZulu-Natal from 84.2% to 85.3%, North West from 69.9% to 72.4%, and Mpumalanga from 88.5% to 89.3%.
However, there are some Water Supply Systems that have witnessed a decline in water levels. These are Butterworth dropping slightly from 100.2 % last week to 100.1% this week, Cape Town from 81.0% to 79.5% and Algoa Water Supply System regressing further from 19.0% last week to 18.6% this week.
Provinces that have witnessed downwards movements in water levels are Northern Cape from 96.6% to 96.1%, and Western Cape from 69.9% last week to 69.1% this week.
The Departmental Spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau has cautioned residents to continue utilising water sparingly although recent rainfall has thrown a lifeline at the catchments. He urged water users to be prudent in the way they utilise the available water since we are not out of the woods yet.
Enquiries:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
