The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) calls on the public to use water wisely and fix leaks to ensure that there is no unnecessary loss of precious water as water levels continue to drop in Mpumalanga Province.
The latest Department of Water and Sanitation weekly state of reservoirs report of 19 August 2024 shows that the average dam levels in the province recorded a further drop from last week’s 90.7% to 90.0%. in the water management areas (WMA), the Olifants WMA dropped from 81.2% to 80.6% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped from 91.7% to 91.1%.
The weekly report further shows that the three districts of the Mpumalanga Province also recorded declines in water levels with Ehlanzeni dropping from 93.2% to 92.1%, Gert Sibande dropping from 87.7% to 87.1%, and Nkangala dropping from 93.4% to 92.7%.
Most of the listed dams in Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld recorded declines in water levels with only three remaining unchanged. The dams that recorded unchanged water volumes include Longmere at 77.2%, Klipkopjes at 96.7%, and Primkop at 65.3%.
On the decline, Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped from 89.6% to 87.5%, Buffelskloof from 80.5% to 78.5%, Driekoppies from 96.0% to 95.5%, Witklip from 93.7% to 92.0%, Kwena from 92.4% to 90.6%, Da Gama from 94.6% to 91.8%, Inyaka from 96.2% to 95.5%, and Ohrigstad from 46.4% to 45.0%.
In the Gert Sibande District only Jericho Dam recorded an improvement from 71.8% to 72.4% and Morgenstond Dam remained unchanged at 84.0% with the rest of the listed dams in the district recording declines in water levels.
The listed dams that dropped in water levels include Grootdraai Dam dropping from 83.2% to 82.3%, Nooitgedacht from 83.9% to 82.8%, Vygeboom from 100.3% to 100.1%, Westoe from 45.6% to 43.7%, and Heyshope from 98.3% to 98.0%.
All the listed dams in the Nkangala District recorded declines in water levels. Witbank Dam dropped from 94.0% to 93.8%, Middelburg from 89.9% to 88.9%, Loskop from 96.4% to 95.4%, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo from 88.5% to 88.2%.
DWS also reminds the public that water conservation and the protection of water resources are key to sustainable water availability as South Africa is a dry and water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute.
For more information, contact Andile Tshona on 073 566 3345 or Themba Khoza on 066 301 6962
For media releases, speeches and news visit the Water & Sanitation portal at: www.dws.gov.za
