National water levels persists to contract despite downpours in Western Cape

With the exception of Western Cape, the overall outlook of national water levels continues to decline. Weekly status of dam levels issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) display that the volume of water has slightly diminished from 93.3% last week to 93.1%.

Water Supply Systems that have witnessed some sort of improvements are; Cape Town Water Supply System soared from 63.9% to 70.8%, Both Crocodile West and Klipplaat Water Supply System managed to somehow record an upward movement with the first faintly increasing from 99.0% to 99.2% and the latter moving slightly up from 100.1% to 100.2%.

The following Water Supply Systems have recorded downward movements; Algoa dropped from 12.1% last week to 12.0% this week, Amathole declined from 75.8% to 75.2.%, Crocodile East decreased from 100.4% to 100.3%, Integrated Vaal River System has dropped from 101.9% to 101.0%, Umgeni has reduced from 100.7% to 100.5%, Orange has diminished from 99.4% to 98.8% and both Polokwane and Luvuvhu have shrunk from 101.8% and 101.0% to 101.7% and 100.9% respectively.

Water Supply System that are steady and unmoved week on week are; Bloemfontein at 99.6%, Butterworth 100.0% and Umhlathuze 100.2%

A total of six (06) provinces have recorded downward movements in water levels namely; Free State moved down slightly from 101.4% to 100.7%, Eastern Cape recorded a slim decrease 70.7% to 70.3% , Gauteng shrunk albeit marginally from 100.3% to 100.2%, KwaZulu Natal diminished from 91.1% to 90.8%, Limpopo contracted from 88.5% to 88.3% and Mpumalanga slightly dropped from 95.3% to 95.1%.

Western Cape water levels escalated from 51.4% to 56.8% this is a manifestation of downpours experienced in the province recently, this has led to dams such as Thee Waterskloof to shot up from 66.4% last week to 72.3%, Berg River increased from 69.0% to 81.5%, on the downward movements in as far as Western Cape is concerned is Kammanassie which is alarmingly low at 3.8%. Northern Cape climbed up from 105.8% last week to 108.8% this week and North West is unchanged at 81.0%.

In Mpumalanga both Jericho and Nooitgedacht Dams which are part of the IVRS supplied by Mpama and Komati River have declined from 100.2% to 99.4% and 100.4% respectively, Kwena Dam which is part of Crocodile East Water Supply System is moderately down from 100.4% last week to 100.3% this week.

North West’s Hartbeespoort Dam in Crocodile West Water Supply System increased from 97.1% to 98.0% and Bospoort somewhat gained from 101.9% to 102.2%. Roodeplat Dam which is the component of Crocodile West supplied by Pienaars River has moved up from 100.8% to 101.0%, and Vaalkop Dam declined from 93.8% to 92.9%.

Vaal Dam which is part of the IVRS has decreased from 106.8% to 105.9%, Gariep Dam which is part of Orange River Water Supply System has recorded a decrease marginally from 98.8% to 98.6%, Vanderkloof Dam declined from 100.3% to 99.0% and Karee Dam in the Northern Cape which was critically low at 9.3% has improved to 17.9%.

KwaZulu Natal’s Albert Falls Dam, an integral part of the Umgeni Water Supply System which supplies water to eThekwini Metro and surrounding areas declined from 100.2% to 99.8%, Midmar Dam which is also part of Umgeni also decrease moderately from 100.1% last week to 100.0% this week, Woodstock which is supplied by Tugela River and falls under IVRS is also down from at 101.7% to 101.2%.

Groendal Dam which is part of Algoa Water Supply System in the Eastern Cape is critically low at 21.3% moving further low from last week’s 21.5%, Kouga Dam which is situated in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan currently experiencing water supply challenges sits at a critically low 12.8%, Nahoom Dam which forms part of Amathole Water Supply System has decreased from 98.2% to 96.8% this week.

De Hoop Dam which is the biggest dam in Limpopo moved down marginally from 100.4% to 100.3%, Flag Boshielo Dam which is part of Polokwane Water Supply System has decreased moderately from 102.3% to 102.2%, Nandoni Dam in the far north of Limpopo recorded a minor decrease from 101.3% to 101.2% and Middel-Letaba is almost empty at 2.2% capacity.

The Department of Water and Sanitation is reiterating its call directed at water users across the country to exercise maximum caution when utilising the available water.

Source: Government of South Africa