The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) would like to urge the public to use the available water in a wise and conservative manner as water levels in the Mpumalanga Province continue to shrink.

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The Mpumalanga Province is in the dry winter season with little prospects of rain therefore it is critical that we all use the available water in a sparing way as the water resources shrink. After the improvements in water levels in the month of April, water levels in the dams and watercourses have been dropping since the beginning of the May.

The Department of Water and Sanitation weekly state of reservoirs reports show that water levels have been dropping continuously since the beginning of May. According to the DWS weekly state of reservoirs report of 03 June 2019, the Mpumalanga Province this week recorded a further 0.5 per cent drop in average dam levels from last week’s 73.3 per cent to 72.8 per cent. Water levels in the water management areas also continue to shrink, with the Olifants catchment recording drop from last week’s 62.3 per cent to 61.6 per cent and the Inkomati-Usuthu catchment recording a drop in water volumes from last week’s 76.5 per cent to 76.1 per cent.

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In the Ehlanzeni District, water levels in the Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped from 99.3 per cent to 98.7 per cent, Driekoppies Dam dropped from 74.8 per cent 74.5 per cent, Longmere Dam dropped from 66.9 per cent to 58.2 per cent, Witklip Dam dropped from 98.9 per cent to 97.9 per cent, Primkop Dam dropped from 24.9 per cent to 23.2 per cent, Kwena Dam dropped 57.2 per cent to 57.1 per cent, and Inyaka Dam dropped from 67.1 per cent to 66.6 per cent. Klipkopjes Dam recorded a slight increase from 47.9 per cent to 48.2 per cent and Da Gama Dam remained unchanged at 73.7 per cent.

Water levels in the major listed dams in the Nkangala District continue to shrink. Witbank Dam dropped from 86.2 per cent to 86.1 per cent, Middelburg Dam dropped from 94.3 per cent to 93.9 per cent and Loskop Dam dropped from 91.1 per cent to 90.6 per cent.

In the Gert Sibande District, only the Vygeboom Dam remained unchanged at 100.3 per cent with the rest of the listed dams recording declines in water volumes. Grootdraai Dam dropped from 75.1 per cent to 73.8 per cent, Jericho Dam dropped from 63.1 per cent to 62.7 per cent, Westoe Dam dropped from 68.8 per cent to 68.6 per cent, Morgenstond Dam dropped from 61.4 per cent to 60.0 per cent, Heyshope Dam dropped from 87.2 per cent to 86.7 per cent and Nooitgedacht Dam dropped from 90.5 per cent to 90.1 per cent.

DWS encourages the public the prioritize and strengthen water conservation and demand management initiatives to avoid a water shortage crisis as the prospects of rain are minimal during this dry winter season.