Gauteng dam levels improve while Western Cape continues to decline

Most Gauteng dams are bursting at seams, thanks to the incessant rains that fell over large parts of the province recently, a weekly report released by the Department of Water and Sanitation stated on Tuesday. The average level recorded after the rains stands at 101 percent, followed by Free State and Mpumalanga with 92,2 percent and 81,7 percent respectively

However, if reports by the South African Weather Services are anything to go by, KwaZulu- Natal will soon occupy the top spot after the predicted heavy downpours that are expected in the province for the next two weeks. The current average dam level in KwaZulu-Natal 64,7 percent.

The national average dam level is 77,6 percent, an improvement of 2,3 percent compared to 2017. However, the drought-stricken Western Cape continues to decline week-on-week with the average dam level standing at 17, 6 percent. Voelsvlei that supplies cape Town has dropped from 14,2 percent last week to 14,1. Berg River, which also supplies the Mother City, dropped its level by 2 percent from 43,4 percent to 41,1 percent.

Clanwilliam Dam on the West Coast has dried up completely and the local municipality has resorted to water tankering to supply local residents.

Unless mother nature intervenes in that province, affected municipalities are likely to impose tighter water restrictions soon. The City of Cape Town is under a severe strain after imposing Level 6B water restrictions to its residents early this year. However, winter rains that are supposed to start at the end of April or first week of May are expected to bring some relief to the citrus province.

Eastern Cape recorded some improvement in some of its dam levels with Macubeni in Cacadu registering 100 percent full. Other dams in the province that recorded full capacity are Sandile in Keiskamma, Binfield in Tyume, Mabeleni in Mhlahlane, Umtata, Ntyenetyana, Belfort in Mafube and Tsojana.

North West Province dams are steady at an average at 72,9 percent while Boegoeberg in the Free State recorded a whopping 116,7 percent, followed by Bon Accord with 107,2 percent and the Vaal (on the Free State side) with 106,7 percent

Meanwhile, the Department of Water and Sanitation is appealing to all South Africans not to be deluded by heavy rains in parts of the country and urged them to continue saving water.

Statement issued by Sputnik Ratau, Department of Water and Sanitation, 12 April 2018