The Department of Water and Sanitation has said that South Africa’s water levels received a slight boost with the dams rising from 66,8% to 67% last week, according to a weekly report of the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The DWS said that the rise in dam levels is expected to help the government’s in its fight against the outbreak of the Corona Virus that has infected 1 380 South Africans and claimed the lives of five others. According to the DWS report, Gauteng, which is leading with the number of infections, has the highest dam levels in the country, with water storage full at 126,5 cubic metres. It is followed by Northern Cape at 91% and Mpumalanga at 75%. “The good news is that Free State, home to some of the biggest dams in the country, recorded 76,9% level. The level suggests sufficient water for basic use and for the generation of electricity in winter when there will be no rains.”
The department further said that at 21443.3 cubic metres of water at South Africa’s disposal, there seems to be enough water for South Africans for now to tackle the Covid 19 scourge head-on. Water sustainability, however, will depend on its conservation by all water users in these trying times. It is therefore important that everyone should heed the call to save water and use it wisely and sparingly.
