The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is urging residents of Mpumalanga, particularly those in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District, to step up efforts to conserve water following mixed results in dam levels across the region.
According to the Department’s latest State of Reservoirs Report released earlier this week, only Longmere Dam recorded a significant improvement, rising from 90.7% to 98.2%. The rest of the listed dams either declined or remained unchanged.
Kwena, Buffelskloof and Witklip dams held steady at 100.2%, while Da Gama Dam remained at 98.4%. However, a number of key dams recorded drops in water levels. Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped slightly from 100.1% to 100.0%, Driekoppies Dam decreased from 93.5% to 93.3%, Klipkopjes Dam decreased from 100.0% to 96.1%, Primkop Dam fell from 100.6% to 100.4%, Inyaka Dam went from 99.0% to 98.4%, and Ohrigstad Dam slipped from 76.6% to 76.0%.
The province’s average dam levels also saw a slight decrease from 99.2% to 99.0%. In the water management areas, the Limpopo-Olifants Water Management Area declined from 94.4% to 94.3%, while the Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area decreased from 98.5% to 98.3%.
All three districts in Mpumalanga experienced slight declines. Ehlanzeni dropped from 96.8% to 96.5%, Gert Sibande moved from 99.8% to 99.6%, and Nkangala declined from 100.4% to 100.3%.
While many of these changes may appear marginal, they serve as a reminder that South Africa remains a water-scarce country. The Department emphasises the critical need for ongoing water conservation to ensure sustainable water supply.
Residents are encouraged to use water wisely and sparingly. The public is also urged to repair household leaks, avoid wastage, and report infrastructure issues to the relevant authorities. Every drop of water counts, and preserving this precious resource is a collective responsibility.
Enquiries:
Wisane Mavasa
Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 060 561 8935
Themba Khoza
Cell: 066 301 6962
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