National water levels record a minor depletion in comparison with last week
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly state of water reservoirs report demonstrates a slim reduction in storage. This week, the overall national storage capacity of the country’s reservoirs is at 90.1%, a tiny decline from last week’s 90.6%, and still a significant improvement from last year’s 79.5%.
The country’s largest Water Supply System, the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), which is comprised of 14 dams across four provinces dipped marginally from 95.8% last week to 95.2% this week. Some of the Water Supply Systems that have declined are Bloemfontein from 96.3% last week to 95.8% this week, Butterworth from 97.6% to 97.4%, both Crocodile East and West experienced a reduction by the tiniest margins from 96.0% to 94.1% and 94.6% to 93.5% respectively.
Cape Town Water Supply System has recorded a decline in water levels from 86.0% to 85.7%, this comes after months of experiencing increments due to the rainy winter season just past in the area. Continuing with the downward movement in as far as Water Supply Systems are concerned were: Luvuvhu from 100.4% to 100.3%, Umhlathuze from 98.3% to 97.8%, Polokwane from 98.9% to 98.2%, Orange from 96.2% to 95.5% and Umgeni dropped from 95.8% to 95.3%.
Algoa Water Supply System with dams supplying water to Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is the sole system that has recorded an increase albeit minimal moving up from 18.0% to 18.2%, whereas both Klipplaat and Amathole are on the same levels as last week at 99.9% and 80.8% respectively.
Eight out of nine provinces have experienced reductions in water levels namely, Eastern Cape from 69.7% to 69.5%, Free State from 97.0% to 96.5%, KwaZulu-Natal from 86.5% to 86.1%, Limpopo from 85.6% to 85.2%, Mpumalanga from 92.6% to 91.8%, North West from 77.1% to 76.3% and Northern Cape from 95.8% to 93.3%.
On the improvement segment is Western Cape which increased marginally from 74.6% to 74.3% and Gauteng also recorded an improvement from 97.0% to 97.6%, though it is important to note that Gauteng has easily the smallest dams in the country.
The Gariep, which is South Africa's largest dam dropped slightly from 94.7% last week and is sitting at 93.6% this week. While Sterkfontein Dam, a reserve dam within IVRS, is at 99.5%, showing a minor decrease from last week’s water level of 99.6%. Vaal Dam has declined from 97.0% to 96.2%.
The Department of Water and Sanitation continues to urge water users across the country to be circumspect in the way they utilise water as we await the commencement of the next rainfall season.
For more information, contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 082 874 2942
