Water levels in various dams, water management areas (WMA) and districts across Mpumalanga province continue to decrease as the dry winter season progresses.
This is in accordance with the latest report from the department of water and sanitation (DWS).
The DWS weekly state of reservoirs report dated June 24 2024, reveals a slight but notable drop in average dam levels.
Last week’s average of 94.4% has marginally decreased by 0.2%. Similar declines were observed in the region’s WMAs, with the Olifants WMA decreasing from 84.9% to 84.5% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 94.9% to 94.8%.
In Mpumalanga’s districts, Ehlanzeni saw a decrease from 98.4% to 98.3%, Gert Sibande dropped from 91.2% to 90.8%, and Nkangala decreased from 96.1% to 95.9%.
The Ehlanzeni District and Lowveld areas reported mixed results, with the Inyaka Dam showing a slight improvement from 99.7% to 100.3%, while other dams either declined or remained unchanged.
Among the unchanged dams are Kwena at 99.9%, Witklip at 99.7%, Da Gama at 98.4%, Primkop at 97.0%, and Klipkopjes at 99.0%.
However, several dams recorded declines, including Driekoppies, Blyderivierpoort, Buffelskloof, Longmere and Ohrigstad.
Gert Sibande District mostly experienced decreases, except for Jericho Dam, which improved slightly to 68.7%.
Similarly, in Nkangala District, only Witbank Dam maintained its level at 96.4% while others such as Middelburg Dam, Loskop Dam, and Rhenosterkop / Mkhombo Dam saw decreases.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has urged the public to conserve water, emphasizing the critical importance of responsible water usage in the face of ongoing drops in water levels during the dry winter season.
As water levels continue to decrease across Mpumalanga, the DWS’s call for conservation emphasizing the importance of collective efforts in managing and preserving South Africa’s precious water resources.
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