Limpopo urged to save water as levels affected by heat and no rain

Lack of rains and scorching temperatures are affecting the water levels in some parts of the country, particularly Limpopo province.

The province’s water storage levels are decreasing weekly, and Limpopo residents have been urged to use water sparingly.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS’s) weekly state of reservoirs report shows that Limpopo’s water storage decreased slightly to 80.7% this week from last week’s 81.3%.

But these levels are better when compared to 62.3% during the same period last year.

“The decline means that 1,194.2 cubic metres out of a full capacity of 1,480.10 cubic metres of water are available this week,” said DWS spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.

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The Polokwane Water Supply System is currently at 84.2%, declining from last week’s 85.1%.

Ebenezer Dam in Groot Letaba, which supplies most communities around Polokwane, has dropped from last week’s 97.8% to 96.6% this week.

“But this is still a huge improvement from last year when the dam was at a paltry 12.6% for the same period,” said Ratau.

In Vhembe District, Nandoni Dam supplied by Levhuvhu River is at its full capacity at 100.4% this week from 100.8% last week.

The dam recorded 99.6% last year at this time while Vondo Dam declined to 95.3% this week, compared to
last week’s 95.7%.

The dam recorded 90.8% last year during this period.

De Hoop Dam in Steelpoort, which supplies the community of Sekhukhune and the local mining industries, has also declined to 95.3% this week, compared to last week’s 95.6%.

This is an improvement from last year’s 92.4% at this time.

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Flag Boshielo Dam is normally at its full capacity but is now on a continuous downward spiral, recording 79.5% this week from 80.3% last week.

The dam recorded 92.2% last year at this time.

Mokolo Dam has also decreased and is now at 97.9% this week from last week’s 98.5%. This is a great level compared to 45.1% last year at this time.

Tzaneen Dam, which supplies water to farmers for irrigation in the area, has also dropped significantly this week.

It is now sitting at 87.6% from last week’s 88.9%. This dam was at a critical low of 15.8% at this time last year.

Middle Letaba Dam is critically low at 7.4% this week, down from the equally low 7.6% last week.

Doorndraai Dam in Sterk River, which is also at its lowest levels, has declined to 38.1% this week compared to last week’s 39.1%, an improvement compared to 9.5% it recorded last year.

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