South Africa: Water and Sanitation on national dam levels

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The weekly status of reservoirs released by the Department of Water and Sanitation reflects that most reservoirs in the country remain on a stable balance albeit downswing in water levels when compared to same period last week. This week, the overall storage capacity of the country’s water level sits at 94.4%, a modest decline from last week’s 94.7%, and a somewhat improvement from last year’s 93.1%.  The persistent reduction of water levels is attributed to the dry winter season.

Water Supply systems on the upward movement are Klipplaat from 100.2% to 100.4%, Bloemfontein from 98.1% to 98.4% and the troubled Algoa in the Nelson Mandela Bay which continues to improve week on week, moving from 31.0% to 34.8%. This is a welcome relief to the residents of the area after severe drought for a number of years.

The following Water Supply Systems are on the decreasing mode: the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) diminished from 97.2% to 96.6%, Amathole decreased from 101.4% to 100.9%, Butterworth recorded a minor dip from 99.4% to 99.0%, Cape Town shrunk from 99.2% to 99.0%, Crocodile West declined from 100.1% to 99.9%, Umgeni recorded a drop from 96.0% to 95.4%, Orange lessen from 99.0% to 98.6%, Both Luvuvhu and Polokwane witnessed faints reductions from 100.4% last week to 100.3% this week.

The Crocodile East and Umhlathuze Water Supply Systems are fixed and unchanged at 100.2%, and 100.1% respectively.

A total of seven (07) out of nine (09) provinces have recorded reduction in water levels namely, Free State moved down from 98.4% to 97.9%, KwaZulu Natal recorded a tiny reduction from 90.2% last week to 90.1%, Gauteng decreased from 99.2% to 97.9%, Limpopo contracted slightly from 87.9% to 87.7%, Mpumalanga dropped from 98.0% to 97.9%, Northern Cape dipped from 91.6% to 91.5% and North West also scaled down a little bit from 89.2% to 89.1%.

Provinces that witnessed upward movements are Western Cape and Eastern Cape expanding from 89.4% to 89.5% and 79.6% to 80.2%.

Vaal and Grootdraai Dams which are part of the IVRS have slightly dropped from 92.0% to 91.0% and 94.5% to 94.4%. Gariep which is part of Orange River Water Supply System have recorded a decline from 99.0% to 98.2%, however Vanderkloof which is in the same system has increased somewhat from 99.1% to 99.2%.

In 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 99.3% to 99.0%. Midmar which is also part of Umgeni moved down moderately from 95.6% last week to 95.3% this week while Woodstock Dam is unchanged at 99.8%.

Kouga Dam which is part of Algoa Water Supply System continues to soar from 36.2% last week to 42.2% while Gcuwa Dam which forms part of Butterworth Water Supply System is decreased from 101.8% to 101.2%.

Roodeplat which is the component of Crocodile West supplied by Pienaars River are expanded from 100.4% to 100.6%.

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 101.3% last week to 100.7%, and Clanwilliam Dam upped from 96.5% to 96.7%.

Flag Boshielo which is part of Polokwane Water Supply System has decreased from 101.4% to 101.2%, De Hoop narrowly decreased from 100.1% to 100.0% and Nandoni is sitting at the same level at 100.8%.

In Mpumalanga, Jericho Dam which is part of the IVRS supplied by Mpama River has decreased marginally from 87.0% to 86.4%, Nooigedacht diminished from 97.4% to 96.8%, Kwena Dam which is part of Crocodile East Water Supply System is sitting at 100.2%.

The Department of Water and Sanitation persists in pleading with the public to utilise the available water with caution since we are still in the middle of dry winter season.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.