Levels at Grootdraai Dam drops to 100%

Water levels of dams in Mpumalanga continue to drop.

According to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly state of reservoirs report, dated June 20, the average water levels in the listed dams are still 10% higher than the same period the previous year.

According to the report, the levels dropped from last week’s 95.3% to 95.1%, which is higher than the 85.1% recorded last year.

In the Water Management Areas (WMA), the Olifants remained unchanged at 84.3%, which is higher than the 78.1% recorded last year and the Inkomati-Usuthu dropped from 99.1% to 98.9%,which is also higher than the 91.1% recorded last year.

All the listed dams in the Gert Sibande District recorded declines in water volumes. Grootdraai dam dropped from 100.9% to 100.0%, Nooitgedacht from 100.6% to 100.4%, Vygeboom from 100.7% to 100.6%, Jericho from 100.2% to 99.4%, Westoe from 97.7% to 96.7%, Morgenstond from 100.5% to 100.4% and Heyshope from 100.4% to 100.2%.

“Even though the water levels are much higher than last year, the department called on the public to continue using water sparingly as South Africa is a water-scarce country, especially as the province and most parts of the country are now in the dry, winter season,” the statement read.