The Mpumalanga Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) released the latest dam levels on January 22, showing the majority of the dams being above 100%, even though most of the dams recorded declines in water levels. Inyaka and Ohrigstad dams recorded some improvements from 100.1% to 100.4% and 70.1% to 72.7%, and Primkop and Da Gama dams remained unchanged at 102.2% and 100.3% respectively.

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The listed dams that recorded declines in water levels include Blyderivierpoort Dam dropping from 100.9% to 100.8%, Buffelskloof from 100.8% to 100.5%, Driekoppies from 100.9% to 100.5%, Longmere from 101.3% to 101.1%, Klipkopjes from 100.4% to 100.2%, Witklip from 100.6% to 100.4% and Kwena from 100.8% to 100.7%.

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In terms of district water levels, Ehlanzeni remained unchanged at 100.%.

The Olifants Water Management Areas (WMA) increased from 87.0% to 87.4% while the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped slightly from 97.4% to 97.3%.

The DWS urges the public to continue using the available water sparingly, despite water levels looking good in most listed dams in the Lowveld, taking into consideration that South Africa is a water scarce country where every drop counts as water has no substitute.