Water and Sanitation Department augments water supply to KZN residents as dam levels dwindle
The Department of Water and Sanitation in KwaZulu-Natal has ramped up its efforts to supplement water supply shortages in the province as dam levels continue to show a week-on-week decline.
According to a Water and Sanitation National Command Centre (NCC) progress report issued by Rand Water a total of 4 200 water tanks have been dispatched to various municipalities thus far. The Department and its entities had earmarked to deliver a total of 4 211 water tanks and this means that there is a shortfall of a mere 11 water tanks that still needs to be delivered.
Of the 4 200 delivered water tanks, 3 026 of them have already been installed and are currently in use. Adding to this, the targeted 639 water tankers have been delivered to assist with refilling the tanks as a way to assist communities experiencing water supply challenges.
Meanwhile, the provincial dam storage capacity has slightly decreased from 59,8% last week to 59,4% in the current week. When compared to a similar period last year, the average storage capacity was 61,1%.
The Umgeni Water Supply System with five dams which supply water to the eThekwini Metro, Pietermaritzburg and surrounds has slightly decreased from 70,5% last week to 69,5% this week. The Water Supply System this time last year was slightly above average at 70,7%.
The Albert Falls dam on the Umgeni River just outside Pietermaritzburg, has declined further from 39,8% last week to 39,2% this week. The Pongolapoort Dam in Northern KwaZulu-Natal is this week at 42,4% from last week’s 42,5%.
The below table further shares the status of other dams in the province:
|
Dam |
Status this week |
Status last week |
|
Hazelmere |
51.2% |
52.2% |
|
Goedertrouw |
53.9% |
54.2% |
|
Inanda |
84.6% |
85.2% |
|
Klipfontein |
68.5% |
69.7% |
|
Hluhluwe |
75.7% |
76.2% |
|
Ntshingwayo |
71.1% |
71.7% |
|
Nagle |
77.7% |
80.7% |
|
Midmar |
96.7% |
97.1% |
The Department has since reiterated its call for prudent water use.
“We implore KZN residents to use water with care as we work towards implementing long-term measures to address water supply challenges in many parts of the province,” said Departmental spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.
Ratau said the Department would commission the construction of Phase 1 of the uMkhomazi Water Project for eThekwini, uMgungundlovu and Msunduzi. He said also in the Department’s plan is a construction of a dam at Smithfield, a tunnel and associated water Infrastructures.
“The uMkhomazi Water Project is one amongst the top 10 mega projects we will be implementing countrywide, as announced by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo during the Department’s Budget Vote last week,” Ratau said.
For more information contact
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
