Vaal Dam remains stagnant and below the 50% mark this week
For the second successive week, the Vaal Dam in the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) remains below the neutral 50% mark and remains unchanged from last week’s 41.6%.
The Vaal Dam has been dwindling week-on-week, opening a huge gap between its present levels and those of the comparative period last year when it was at 63.1%.
Similarly, the Sterkfontein Dam in the Free State hovers at 94.0% for the second successive week while during the same week last year it was at 92.3%
Persisting to fall weekly, the IVRS which consists of 14 dams, shrunk from 62.9% last week to 62.7% currently. The present levels of the dam are lower compared to the 68.3% of the dam recorded at the same time last year.
Despite maintaining a strong position this week, the Grootdraai Dam saw a slight drop from last week’s 80.9% to 80.6%. These levels are however higher when juxtaposed with the 65.0% in the preceding year at the same time.
The Bloemhof Dam decreased from 99.7% last week to a still equally stronger 98.8% this week. At the same time last year, the dam floated with ease when it reached full capacity at 100.0% mark.
Both the Mohale and the Katse Dam, in Lesotho, remain unchanged from the levels they recorded last week. They are at 7.5% and 30.1% respectively. Last year in the same period the Mohale Dam was at 33.2% while the Katse Dam stood 20.0%
The Department of Water and Sanitation in Gauteng is concerned about the present levels of the Vaal Dam and the IVRS. The Department is of the view that water users remain critical in making sure that the levels of the dams do not reach disastrously low levels.
To this end, households and businesses are urged to use water sparingly by making every drop count. The Department is anxious that using water excessively without regard for the state of the dams such as the Vaal Dam will be detrimental to keeping the steady supply of water intact until the start of the rainy season.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
Hosia Sithole
Cell: 082 723 2442
