The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) calls on the public to use the available water sparingly as water levels in the provincial dams continue to drop.

The latest weekly state of reservoirs report of September 18 shows that the average dam levels in the water management areas recorded a further drop of 7%. The Olifants dropped from 87.9% to 87.2% and the Inkomati-Usuthu from 95.5% to 94.8%.

Meanwhile, the majority of Lowveld dam levels recorded declines, except for Klipkopjes Dam, which recorded an increase from 99.4% to 100.2%, and Primkop Dam, which increased from 90.6% to 94.5%.

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Even though most of the dams recorded declines in water levels, most are still above the 90% mark, with Vygeboom remaining unchanged at 100.3%, Longmere Dam below 90% at 89.7% and Ohrigstad Dam below 80% at 73.1%.

The listed dams that recorded drops include the Blyderivierspoort dropping from 97.7% to 96.1%, Buffelskloof from 95.2% to 92.5%, Driekoppies from 98.9% to 98.4%, Longmere from 93.7% to 89.7%, Witklip from 100.2% to 98.9%, Kwena from 96.6% to 94.8%, Da Gama from 97% to 95.5%, Inyaka from 99.5% to 98.8% and Ohrigstad from 75.2% to 73.1%. Nooitgedacht dropped from 88% to 86.4%.

The DWS reminded the public that water conservation is key to water security in South Africa.