Witbank Dam remaining unchanged at 97.8%
In the Nkangala District, the major dams are still above 90% with the Witbank remaining unchanged at 97.8% and the Middelburg and Loskop dams dropping from 96.2% to 95.7% and 100.1% to 99.1% respectively
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of March 16 shows that the Mpumalanga Province recorded a slight 0.5% drop on average water levels in the listed dams from last week’s 75.4% to 74.9%.
The report also shows that water levels in the water management areas (WMA) recorded mixed reactions, with the Olifants WMA dropping from 68.0% to 67.7% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA recording a slight increase from 71.1% to 72.2%.
The 74.9% average is slightly higher than the 74.2% recorded at the same time last year and puts the Mpumalanga Province fourth behind Gauteng, Northern Cape and Free State on the national level.
The listed dams in the Ehlanzeni District recorded mixed results with some dams recording slight improvements, others recording some declines and others remaining unchanged.
On the improvement side, Longmere Dam improved from 62.1% to 67.3%, Kwena Dam improved from 51.4% to 52.6% and Ohrigstad Dam recorded an improvement from 11.7% to 12.0%.
On the decline mode, Klipkopjes Dam dropped from 20.9% to 18.4% and Primkop Dam dropped from 78.1% to 68.4%.
The listed dams that remained unchanged over the week are Blyderivierpoort Dam at 100.3%, Driekoppies Dam at 70.3%, Witklip Dam at 79.6%, Da Gama Dam at 57.2% and Inyaka Dam at 55.8%.
In the Gert Sibande District, only the Vygeboom Dam recorded a slight increase from 100.3% to 100.4% and the rest of the listed dams recorded drops in water volumes or remained unchanged.
Grootdraai Dam dropped from 99.0% to 96.3%, Nooitgedacht Dam drooped from 96.4% to 95.6%, Jericho Dam dropped from 77.4% to 76.8% and Westoe Dam dropped from 57.1% to 56.3%. Morgenstond and Heyshope dams remained unchanged at 44.3% and 82.0% respectively.
In the Nkangala District, the major dams are still above 90% with the Witbank remaining unchanged at 97.8% and the Middelburg and Loskop dams dropping from 96.2% to 95.7% and 100.1% to 99.1% respectively.
The critically low Rhenosterkop Dam recorded a much needed improvement increasing from 1.9% to 2.4%.
“As we celebrate the National Water Week and World Water Day this week, and the water levels in the Mpumalanga Province look slightly better than the same period last year, the Department of Water and Sanitation encourages the public to strengthen water conservation and wise water use initiatives to ensure that this dry and water scarce country of ours has reliable water supply and water security for the current and future generation. The Department also encourages communities to protect and prevent the pollution of water resources as pollution negatively impacts on water quality and the available water fit for use,” said Mr Themba Khoza spokesperson from DWS.
