Pretoria - The Department of Water and Sanitation has urged water users to inculcate the culture of using water more wisely as most dams across the country continue to decline week on week.
“It is particularly more critical now to save more water as we are fast approaching the winter season. In winter, dam levels are likely to decline considerably because not much rain is expected,” the department said.
The department monitors 211 dams weekly.
This week the National Water Storage decreased by 0.4% from 72.7% last week to 72.3% this week.
The Provincial Water Storage is as follows:
- Gauteng; decreased from 92% last week to 91.7% this week;
- Eastern Cape; decreased from 61.9% last week to 61.8% this week;
- Western Cape; decreased from 20.6% last week to 20.1% this week;
- Free State; decreased from 85.3% last week to 85% this week;
- KwaZulu-Natal decreased from 53.6% last week to 53.4% this week;
- Limpopo is steady at 78.5%
- Mpumalanga deceased from 79% last week to 78.8% this week;
- Northern Cape decreased from 98.1 last week to 95.1% this week;
- North West decreased from 90.1% last week to 89.7% this week.
The department said that the Cape Town System with six dams serving City of Cape Town is more of a concern with water levels dropping to 21.7% this week, from 22.3% last week.
“The system was at 31.4% during the same period last year,” the department noted.
Algoa System
The Algoa System with five dams serving Nelson Mandela Bay decreased from 40.6% last week to 40.3% this week. The system was recorded at 78.7% last year during the same period.
Amathole System
The Amathole System with six dams serving Buffalo City decreased from 70.9% last week to 70.6% this week. The system was recorded at 88.4% during the same time last year.
Bloemfontein System
The Bloemfontein System with four dams serving mainly Mangaung decreased by 0.5% to 51.0% from 51.5% and was at 31.4% during the same time last year.
Crocodile West system
The Crocodile West system with six dams serving mainly Tshwane, Madibeng and Rustenburg decreased to 98.8% this week from 99.3% last week. The system was recorded at 95.1% last year.
Integrated Vaal River System
The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) with 14 dams serving mainly Gauteng Sasol and Eskom decreased to 83.9% from 84.2%. The system was at 59.0% during the same time last year.
Umgeni Dam system
The Umgeni Dam system with five dams serving mainly eThekwini and Msunduzi decreased to 62.2% from 62.4%. The system was at 53.9% last year during the same time recorded.
Save every little drop
The department reiterated that it is the responsibility of every water user to be more cautious when using water as South Africa is considered a water scarce country.
“Let us save every little drop that we can for the future. The department would also like to plead with every member of the community to report any water leakages they come across to their nearest municipality. South Africa loses a lot of water of water due to leakages.” – SAnews.gov.za
