The Department of Water and Sanitation says that there has been a minor decline in dam storage this week.
The department said that the overall national storage capacity of the country’s reservoirs is at 89.5%, a tiny drop from last week’s 89.7%, and still a significant improvement from last year’s 78.6%.
“The country’s largest water supply system, the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), which comprises 14 dams across four provinces, dipped marginally from 94.5% last week to 93.8% this week. Some of the water supply systems that have declined are Bloemfontein from 95.6.% last week to 95.4% this week, both Crocodile East and West experienced marginal reductions from 93.4% to 91.7% and 91.4% to 89.8% respectively,” the department stated.
In Cape Town, the water supply system has recorded a decline in water levels from 85.4% to 84.6% after months of increments due to the rainy season in the area.
“Continuing with the downward movement in as far as water supply systems are concerned were Luvuvhu from 100.3% to 99.9%, Umhlathuze dropped slightly from 97.8% to 97.3%, Polokwane from 97.3% to 96.5%, and Umgeni decreased from 95.2% to 94.7%.
“Algoa Water Supply System with dams supplying water to Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is among systems that have recorded an increase, albeit minimal, moving up from 19.1% to 19.6%, Butterworth increased from 100.0% to 100.1%, Orange from 95.0% to 95.6%, Klipplaat from 100.4% to 100.8% and Amathole soared from 84.2% to 92.1%,” said the department.
The department added that five of the nine provinces have experienced reductions in water levels, namely KwaZulu-Natal from 85.6% to 85.0%, Limpopo from 85.0% to 84.4%, Mpumalanga from 91.8% to 91.3%, North West from 74.9% to 73.9% and Western Cape from 74.4% to 73.9%.
“On the improvement segment is Eastern Cape, which increased marginally from 71.5% to 73.0%, Gauteng from 96.5% to 96.7%, and Northern Cape from 92.2% to 97.7%, whereas Free State remains in the same level as that of last week at 95.8%.
“The Gariep, which is South Africa's largest dam, increased from 93.0% last week and is sitting at 94.2% this week. While Sterkfontein Dam, a reserve dam within IVRS, is at 99.7%, showing an increase from last week’s water level of 99.3%. Vaal Dam has declined from 95.2% to 94.1%,” said the department.