The latest Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of March 4 shows that most of the the Lowveld recorded drops in water levels, with the only a few remaining unchanged.

The dams that recorded a decrease in water levels include Buffelskloof dropping from 100.5% to 100.3%, Driekoppies from 100.4% to 100.3%, Longmere from 101.1% to 100.9%, Klipkopjes from 100.2% to 100%, Primkop from 100.6% to 100.2%, Kwena from 100.7% to 100.4%, and Ohrigstad from 75.7% to 75.4%.

Dams that recorded no changes in water levels include Blyderivierpoort at 100.3%, Witklip at 100.4%, Da Gama at 99.8%, and Inyaka at 100.2%.

In the Water Management Areas (WMA), the Olifants remained unchanged at 87.2%, while the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropped from 97.5% to 97.1%.

In terms of water levels per district, Ehlanzeni dropped from 99.9% to 99.8%, Gert Sibande dropped from 97% to 96.1% and Nkangala dropped from 99.6% to 99.2%.

Considering the declining water levels, the Department of Water and Sanitation urges the public to use the available water sparingly, taking into consideration that South Africa is a water-scarce country.