Three Lowveld dams drop below 100%
After months of being above the 100% mark, three dams have now dipped below it again.
The Kwena, Driekoppies and Witklip dams in the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga have dropped below 100% capacity after months of being above full.
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of August 29, Kwena Dam dropped from 100% to 98.9%, Driekoppies Dam from 100.1% to 99.9% and Witklip Dam from 100% to 98.2%.
Only Ohrigstad Dam remained unchanged in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District at 46.1%, while the rest of the listed dams recorded declines in water volumes. Primkop Dam recorded a drop, but remains the only dam at 100% or above in the Lowveld, as it dropped from 100.2% to 100%.
ALSO READ: Beautiful artwork auctioned off in aid of Hospice White River
Continuing the downward spiral, Blyderivierpoort Dam dropped from 96.7% to 94.3%, Buffelskloof from 99.4% to 98.6%, Longmere from 96.3% to 92.4%, Klipkopjes from 99.6% to 99.4%, Da Gama from 98.4% to 97% and Inyaka from 84.7% to 84.6%.
The provincial picture also shows a continuous decline in water levels as the average dam levels recorded a drop from 94.2% to 93.7% in the water management areas, the Olifants dropped from 83.5% to 83.1% and Inkomati-Usuthu dropped from 97.9% to 97.5%.
The DWS called on the public to intensify water conservation efforts and to use the available water wisely and sparingly, especially as the water levels continue to drop.
