The latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 12 August 2024 shows that water levels continue to drop in the Mpumalanga Province.
According to the report, the average dam levels in the province recorded a further drop from last week's 91.2% to 90.7%. Water levels also dropped in the water management areas with the Olifants WMA dropping from 81.7% to 81.2% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 92.1% to 91.7%. The report also shows that the three districts of the Mpumalanga Province also recorded declines in water levels with Ehlanzeni dropping from 94.0% to 93.2%, Gert Sibande dropping from 87.9% to 87.7%, and Nkangala dropping from 93.9% to 93.4%.
Most listed dams in Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld recorded declines in water levels with only Klipkopjes Dam recording an improvement from 95.3% to 96.7% and Da Gama Dam remaining unchanged at 94.6%.
The listed dams that recorded declines include Blyderivierpoort Dam dropping from 91.4% to 89.6%, Buffelskloof from 82.2% to 80.5%, Driekoppies from 96.2% to 96.0%, Longmere from 79.4% to 77.2%, Witklip from 97.0% to 93.7%, Primkop from 72.2% to 65.3%, Kwena from 93.8% to 92.4%, Inyaka from 96.8% to 96.2%, and Ohrigstad from 48.0% to 46.4%.
The Gert Sibande District recorded mixed results with some listed dams recording declines, some improvements and others remaining unchanged. On the decline mode, Grootdraai Dam dropped from 83.6% to 83.2%, Nooitgedacht from 84.7% to 83.9%, and Westoe from 71.3% to 45.6%. Morgenstond and Heyshope dams remained unchanged at 84.0% and 98.3%, respectively.
Dams that recorded some improvements include Vygeboom increasing from 100.1% to 100.3% and Jericho increasing from 71.3% to 71.8%.
All the listed dams in the Nkangala District recorded declines in water levels. Witbank Dam dropped from 94.4% to 94.0%, Middelburg from 90.5% to 89.9%, Loskop from 96.9% to 96.4%, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo from 89.0% to 88.5%.
In light of the continuous drop in water levels, the Department of Water and Sanitation calls on the public to be more conservative and use the available water wisely and sparingly as South Africa is a dry and water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute. The Department also encourages the public to fix and report all leaks to prevent the unnecessary loss of precious water.
Source: gov.za