Gauteng residents urged to save water as major dam levels fall

The Department of Water and Sanitation has urged Gauteng residents to adhere to local municipalities’ instructions on how to save water.

This comes as parts of inland South Africa have been struck by a heatwave.

“As the country is moving into the summer season, which offers hope for much-needed downpours, we call on water users to remain vigilant when using water and to properly close taps to avoid losses,” said Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.

The department also said it had noted a drop in levels of critical dams in the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) which has put further strain on the system.

“This drop in some of the major dams, including the critically important Vaal Dam, has put a strain on the IVRS as it continues to fall week on week.”

Ratau said according to the department’s weekly reservoir status report, the IVRS had again dropped this week.

“Last week, the levels of the system stood at 56%, but have this week declined to 55%. The Vaal Dam has again recorded a decline as it dropped from 31% last week to just 30% this week.”

Ratau further said the Grootdraai Dam, which had stayed the same over the past two consecutive weeks, had seen a drop this week.

He added that the levels dropped from 76% last week to 75%.

“Contrary to other dams in the system, Sterkfontein Dam increased slightly this week,” said Ratau.

He said in Lesotho, the situation with both the Mohale and Katse dams was getting desperate as the dams continued to worsen with each passing week.

He said during the heat spells, water in the dams also evaporated more quickly and this could mean that a significant amount of water was being lost.

“Thus preserving every drop when consumers use this limited resource is vitally important,” Ratau said.

The Tshwane metro has advised the following to restrict water usage:

• No watering/irrigation of gardens with hosepipes or sprinkler systems between 6am and 6pm;
• No washing of vehicles with hosepipes;
• No filling of swimming pools.

This article first appeared on Rekord and was republished with permission.

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