Gauteng Dam Levels Improve to Average Over 100%!!!

Most Gauteng dams are bursting at the seams, thanks to the incessant rains that fell over large parts of the province recently.

According to a weekly report released by the department this week, the average level recorded after the rains stood at 101%, followed by Free State and Mpumalanga with 92.2% and 81.7%, respectively

“However, if reports by the South African Weather Services are anything to go by, KwaZulu-Natal will soon occupy the top spot after the predicted heavy downpours that are expected in the province for the next two weeks. The current average dam level in KwaZulu-Natal 64.7%,” the department said.

The national average dam level is 77.6%, an improvement of 2.3% compared to 2017.

WC continues to decline week-on-week

However, the report noted that the drought-stricken Western Cape continues to decline week-on-week, with the average dam level standing at 17.6%.

Voelsvle, which supplies Cape Town, has dropped from 14.2% last week to 14.1%.  Berg River, which also supplies the Mother City, dropped its level by 2% from 43.4% to 41.%.

Clanwilliam Dam on the West Coast has dried up completely and the local municipality has resorted to water tankering to supply local residents.

“Unless Mother Nature intervenes in that province, affected municipalities are likely to impose tighter water restrictions soon. The City of Cape Town is under a severe strain after imposing Level 6B water restrictions on its residents early this year. However, winter rains that are supposed to start at the end of April or first week of May are expected to bring some relief to the citrus province,” the department said.

Improvement in EC dams

Eastern Cape recorded some improvement in some of its dam levels with Macubeni in Cacadu registering 100%.

Other dams in the province that recorded full capacity included Sandile in Keiskamma, Binfield in Tyume, Mabeleni in Mhlahlane, Umtata, Ntyenetyana, Belfort in Mafube and Tsojana.

North West Province dams are steady at an average at 72.9% while Boegoeberg in the Free State recorded a whopping 116.7%, followed by Bon Accord with 107.2% and the Vaal (on the Free State side) with 106.7%.

Meanwhile, the department appealed to all South Africans not to be deluded by heavy rains in parts of the country and urged them to continue saving water.

Source: SAnews.gov.za