Water and Sanitation calls for wise water use as water levels drop in Mpumalanga

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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) calls on the public to use water wisely and sparingly as water levels drop in the Mpumalanga Province. 

According to the latest DWS weekly state of reservoirs report of 29 April 2024, the Mpumalanga Province recorded a 0.7% drop from 98.2% to 97.5% on average water levels over the past week. In the Water Management Areas (WMAs), the Olifants WMA dropped from 87.2% to 87.0% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped from 98.4% to 97.3%. 

In terms of water levels per district, Ehlanzeni remained unchanged at 99.7%, Gert Sibande dropped from 97.1% to 95.7% and Nkangala dropped from 98.6% to 98.4%.
Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld recorded mixed results with slightly more listed dams dropping in water while the rest recorded some improvements. On the positive, the listed dams that recorded improvements in water levels include Blyderivierspoort Dam increasing from 100.4% to 100.5%, Driekoppies from 100.3% to 100.5%, Klipkopjes from 99.6% to 99.8%, Primkop from 100.6% to 101.1%, and Da Gama from 99.8% to 100.3%.

Dropping in water levels in the Lowveld include Buffelskloof from 100.2% to 100.1%, Longmere from 100.2% to 99.8%, Witklip from 100.4% to 100.3%, Kwena from 100.4% to 100.3%, Inyaka from 100.4% to 100.3%, and Ohrigstad from 69.1% to 68.2%.

The majority of listed dams in Gert Sibande District recorded declines in water levels except for Westoe Dam which recorded an improvement from 70.5% to 70.8%.

On the decline in Gert Sibande District, Grootdraai Dam dropped from 97.1% to 96.9%, Nooitgedacht from 96.9% to 95.8%, Vygeboom from 100.6% to 100.5%, Jericho from 69.5% to 68.5%, Morgenstond from 100.5% to 90.0%, and Heyshope from 103.0% to 102.2 

In Nkangala District, Witbank Dam remained unchanged at 99.0% with the rest of the listed dams recording declines in water levels.

The listed dams that recorded drops in water levels in Nkangala District include Middelburg Dam dropping from 96.5% to 96.2%, Loskop from 100.3% to 100.2%, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo dropping from 95.8% to 95.5%. 

The Department of Water and Sanitation encourages the public to be more responsible and conservative in their water use as we enter the dry winter season taking into consideration that water has no substitute and South Africa is a water scarce country.

For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935 or Themba Khoza on 066 301 6962
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.