Dam levels increase across seven provinces following summer rains

Dams in the Eastern Cape have reached 51% capacity after months of dry conditions in the province, the Department of Water and Sanitation says.

The department’s weekly report showed that dam levels have been on the rise in the past two weeks due to torrential summer rains.

Gauteng dam levels increased from 91.7% to 96.1% since the beginning of December.

“The increased levels, which include the Vaal Dam, will bring the much needed relief to Gauteng users who were worried about the state of the low level of the dam at the beginning of summer,” said the department in a statement.

Free State dams were at 72.4% this week. The figure reflected a 7% increase from the same period last year, when dam levels stood at 65.2%. Only two provinces – Limpopo and the Western Cape – recorded a drop in dam levels from 56% to 55% and 77% to 76% respectively.

However, the Western Cape was emerging from “the worst drought in a century” and had just entered a dry hydrological summer season, the department said.

Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the North West and Northern Cape also recorded more rainfall and increased dam levels, with North West dam levels hitting 94.2%.

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