The Vaal Dam has recorded an increase in levels for the second consecutive week, signalling that the recent heavy showers are steadily replenishing the dam after a long-running period of decline.
“Inching up from last week’s levels of 30.2%, the dam has significantly risen to 35.7% this week. If the present rise in the levels of the dam is anything to go by, the dam will be in a reasonably stable position and even surpass the levels of last year during the same time when it stood at 43.7%,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said on Wednesday.
The increase provides a welcoming respite given the strategic significance of the Vaal Dam, which supplies water to the populous and economic heartbeat of the country, the Gauteng province.
“The department is pleased with the increase not only in the levels of the Vaal Dam but in other dams that are part of the system (IVRS). The system has held firm and continues to keep a much-needed balance.
“To ensure that the system remains stable, the department believes that businesses and households are central in ensuring that the system is kept firm and stable.”
“Another dam that has seen a surge this week is the Grootdraai Dam, which is becoming healthier with each passing week. With its levels soaring steadily, the dam rose from 76.4% last week to 83.5% this week. The present levels are comparatively higher to last year when the dam was much lesser at 51.7%,” the department said.
The Sterkfontein Dam, which is a reserve located in the Free State, is this week a shade higher at 94.9% compared to the levels of 94.8% last week.
During the same week last year, the dam stood lower yet strong at 91.4%. This shows that the dam has not only been resilient but has been on the upward trend over the months.
“On the contrary, the Bloemhof Dam declined this week, dropping from 81.7% last week to 81.4% this week. However, the dam is presently stands firmer when compared to the levels of 71.2% at the same time last year,” the department said.
In Lesotho, the Mohale and Katse dams have also notched up this week. Despite the increase, the Mohale Dam remains in a sluggish state at petty levels of 3.7% following their increase from 2.7% last week. In the preceding year at the same time, the dam stood at 28.0%.
“On the other hand, the Katse Dam is slightly improved than the Mohale Dam. Presently, the dam hovers at 24.5%, and is up from a 22.2% last week. In comparative terms, this is higher than the 15.9% at which the dam stood at the same time last year,” the department said.
The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), which consists of 14 dams, has recorded an uptick this week as it rose from 54.9% last week to 56.8% this week.
The system is now slowly inching towards the 57.5% it recorded during the same week last year.
“The department emphasises the fact that in as much as water consumers need to use water, they are equally obligated to bear responsibility to encourage each other to use water sparingly and wisely.”
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