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Water levels continue to drop in the listed dams, water management areas (WMA), and districts of the Mpumalanga Province as expected during the dry winter season.

According to the latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 24 June 2024, the average dam levels recorded a further drop from last week’s 94.4% to 94.2%. Water levels also dropped in the water management areas with the Olifants WMA dropping from 84.9% to 84.5% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 94.9% to 94.8%. The three districts of the Mpumalanga Province also recorded declines in water levels with Ehlanzeni dropping from 98.4% to 98.3%, Gert Sibande dropping from 91.2% to 90.8%, and Nkangala dropped from 96.1% to 95.9%.

Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld recorded mixed results with only Inyaka Dam recording a slight improvement and going beyond 100% from last week’s 99.7% to 100.3%, with the rest of the listed dams recording declines and others remaining unchanged.

The dams that remained unchanged in water volumes include Kwena at 99.9%, Witklip at 99.7%, Da Gama at 98.4%, Primkop at 97.0%, and Klipkopjes at 99.0%.

Listed dams that recorded declines in water levels in Ehlanzeni District and the Lowveld include Driekoppies dropping from 98.8% to 98.5%, Blyderivierpoort from 99.8% to 99.3%, Buffelskloof from 90.2% to 89.6%, Longmere from 91.8% to 89.1%, and Ohrigstad from 58.6% to 57.1%.
Most of the listed dams in Gert Sibande District recorded declines in water levels, with only Jericho Dam recording a slight improvement from 68.5% to 68.7% and Morgenstond Dam remaining unchanged at 84.0%.

Declining in water volumes, Grootdraai Dam dropped from 89.5% to 88.8%, Nooitgedacht from 89.5% to 89.4%, Vygeboom from 100.3% to 100.2%, Westoe from 60.7% to 58.9%, and Heyshope dropping below 100% from 100.0% to 99.9%.

In the Nkangala District, only Witbank Dam remained unchanged at 96.4% while the rest of the listed dams dropped in water levels. Middelburg Dam from 93.8% to 93.2%, Loskop Dam from 98.7% to 98.5%, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo Dam from 91.9% to 91.6%.

The Department of Water and Sanitation calls on the public to be more conservative in their water use and use the available water wisely and sparingly as water levels continue to drop during the dry winter season. DWS also reminds the public that South Africa is a dry and water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute.

DWS further encourages the public to protect water resources, especially from pollution to ensure sustainable freshwater supply and water security for the current and future generations.

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation