The weekly status of reservoirs released by the Department of Water and Sanitation this week reveal a continual downswing of water levels compared to same period last week. This week, the overall storage capacity of the country’s water level sits at 94.4%, a minor decrease from last week’s 95.4%, and a significant improvement from last year’s 84.7%.

The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) has recorded a tiny enhancement from 102.1% last week to 102.4% this week. Algoa, Bloemfontein, Amathole, Orange,Cape Town, Polokwane, Luvuvhu and Umgeni Water Supply Systems have all declined week on week.

Water Supply System that have improved in water levels are; Umhlathuze, Klipplaat, and Crocodile West, whereas Butterworth and Crocodile East are steady and unmoved at 100.1% and 100.6% respectively.

Seven (07) out of nine provinces have recorded reduction in water levels namely, Free State moved down from 105.2% to 103.4%, Gauteng recorded a reduction from 102.0% last week to 101.5%, KwaZulu Natal also dropped from 93.0% last week to 92.0% this week,  Limpopo dropped slightly from 89.1% to 88.8%, Northern Cape continues to plummet from 112.1% to 110.9%, North West dwindled from 80.1% last week to 78.5% this week, and Western Cape lessened from 53.9% to 53.4%.

The only provinces which has marginally escalated in water levels is Eastern Cape, increasing from 67.1% to 67.2%. Mpumalanga is fixed and unchanged week on week at 95.3%.

Vaal and Grootdraai Dams which are part of the IVRS have slightly dropped from 107.1% to 106.5% and 102.6% to 102.2%. Both Gariep and Vanderkloof Dams which are part of Orange River Water Supply System have recorded declines from 106.0.% and 106.9% to 101.6% and 105.2% respectively.

In the floods hit KwaZulu Natal, Albert Falls Dam, an integral part of the Umgeni Water Supply System which supplies water to  eThekwini Metro and surrounding areas dropped from 101.7% to 101.0%. Midmar which is also part of Umgeni moved down moderately from 100.7% last week  to 100.6% this week.

Kouga Dam which is part of Algoa Water Supply System is critically low at 12.9% moving further down from last week’s 13.1%, Gubu Dam which forms part of Amathole Water Supply System has somewhat improved from 100.6% to 100.9% this week.

Roodeplat Dam which is the component of Crocodile West supplied by Pienaars River has decreased from 101.0% last week to 100.7% week on week.

In the Western Cape, which is a combination of parts that experience rainfall in winter and those that receive rainfall during other seasons; Berg River dropped from 68.6% last week to 67.9%, and Clanwilliam Dam is a cause for concern at 31.4% from 32.6% last week.

Flag Boshielo which is part of Polokwane Water Supply System has decreased from 104.7% to 103.2%, De Hoop is unchanged at 100.4% and Nandoni recorded the a slight decline from 102.0% to 101.6%.

In Mpumalanga, Nooitgedacht Dam which is part of the IVRS supplied by Komati River has soared from 96.0% to 98.4%, Kwena Dam which is part of Crocodile East Water Supply System is moderately down from 100.6% last week to 100.5% this week.

The Department of Water and Sanitation persists in pleading with the public to utilise water with caution as winter season is upon us which normally has minimal amount of rainfall.

For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942

Source: Government of South Africa