Durban – The Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly report reveals that the country’s dam levels have dropped from last week’s 94.6% to 93.3% this week due to the scorching hot weather conditions.
Department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said high temperatures in various parts of the country had negatively impacted water levels in the already declining dams in different provinces.
“While the current dam levels should not be cause for concern, the continuous drop in some parts of the country remains a worry. The low levels affect water supply to communities,”she said.
As a result Mavasa said the department encouraged communities to conserve water and be extremely cautious when using dams or rivers to cool off during the hot weather conditions.
“Let us also avoid venturing into unknown water bodies to try and cool off as it may place your life at risk,” said Mavasa.
However, the department said the current readings of the national dam levels indicate a slight improvement as compared to last year’s 97.0% at this time.
The report found:
- The Northern Cape is the worst-affected province with a drastic decrease of its water levels from last week’s 99.0% to 95.2% this week.
- North West province is the second province experiencing a decline in its dam levels from last week’s 85.1% to 83.8%.
- North West province is the second province experiencing a decline in its dam levels from last week’s 85.1% to 83.8%.
- Western Cape Province has also seen a decline in water levels in the previous weeks. The province’s dams have drastically dropped from last week’s 58.0% to 56.3% this week.
- Dam levels declined this week in the Free State from 101.5% to 100.6%, in Mpumalanga from 97.1% to 96.8%,
- Limpopo from 86.3% to 86.2%
- KwaZulu Natal from 91.6% to 91.2%.
The department said despite a drop in the water levels in most provinces, Eastern Cape and Gauteng have experienced a slight increase to 77.7% and 101.5% respectively this week.
“The country’s water supply systems are mostly on high levels but are also experiencing a continuous drop. The Integrated Vaal River System has decreased from last week’s 100.7% to 99.8% this week.”
The Polokwane Water Supply System has also dropped to 100.8% this week, compared to last week’s 101.8%, it said.
According to the department, the water supply systems in the Eastern Cape are also at high levels but have decreased:
- Butterworth Water Supply System has seen a marginal decrease to 100.1% this week, as compared to last week’s 100.2%.
- Amathole Water Supply System has also dropped marginally to 102.7% this week, compared to last week’s 107.8%.
- Algoa Water Supply System, is still at a very low level registering 14.8% this week, compared to last week’s 14.9%.
Mavasa said the department, together with other stakeholders, are working tirelessly to ensure a permanent solution to the declining water system.
“Due to the constant low levels, as well as the continuous decline in the Algoa Water Supply System, we continue to make an appeal to the community of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and the surrounding areas to double their efforts to reduce their water usage and to save water to ensure sustained water supply”, said Mavasa.