Vaal Dam Picture: Nigel Sibanda
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) latest weekly report revealed another significant decline in the Vaal Dam’s water capacity levels.
Before you pack your sunscreen and water skis, let’s dive into the current dam levels.
The Vaal Dam is a powerhouse of South Africa’s economy, situated in the heart of Gauteng. Besides being a crucial water source, the Vaal Dam boasts an impressive shoreline of 880 km and a surface area of 32,107 ha.
The dam, an essential part of the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), recorded a capacity of 26.5% of its full storage capacity (FSC) of 2.5 billion cubic metres, this week.
According to the department’s comparison report, it has declined from 28.2% the previous week.
The dam has been consecutively dropping by 2 to 3% percentage points in the past few months.
In 2023, the Vaal Dam—one of the main suppliers to Gauteng— sat at a significantly higher capacity of 67.7%.
The noticeable decline continues to spark concerns over the region’s dwindling water resources.
ALSO READ: Vaal Dam now below a third of its capacity
According to water experts, there is no need to panic over the Vaal Dam’s continuous decline just yet.
Water expert Carin Bosman told The Citizen that she would not consider the drop in levels to be a cause for “significant concern” at this stage, and “from a water security perspective, the backup system we have in the Sterkfontein Dam will cover any potential shortfalls.
WaterCAN executive manager Ferrial Adam, shared concern but put a pause on the panic button.
The calls for calm from the two experts come after the department shared that should Vaal Dam levels drop to 18%, the dam would supplement water from Sterkfontein Dam.
On current trajectory, this could happen in early February next year but Bosman says it may be as late as the end of March.
Sterkfontein Dam has an FSC of 2.6 billion cubic meters and is at 97.8% capacity, down from 98.0% last week. It stood at 99.7% last year.
Adam said the province needs to prepare for when the dam decreases to below 18%.
“What is the government putting in place to manage a potential drought? We need some good rain,” Adam said.
“We need better enforcement of level 1 restrictions. I am still seeing people using hosepipes and watering gardens at midday and these are not residents, but malls and wedding venues,” she added.
ALSO READ: Experts allay worries over decline in Vaal Dam level
The Gauteng DWS has been encouraging residents to use water sparingly due to low storage levels.
To curb the water crisis, the department imposed level 1 water restrictions.
The level 1 restrictions, introduced on 1 September 2024, prohibit daily water-related activities for 12 hours daily.
Joburg Water Spokesperson Nolwazi Dhlamini told The Citizen that the level 1 water restrictions were introduced due to the high demand season, which usually occurs between September and March every year (during hot temperature months).
“This is done to try to ensure consistent and uninterrupted water supply. Water consumption has risen significantly, with daily usage reaching approximately 270 litres per person, surpassing the target of 175 litres,” she said.
NOW READ: Experts allay worries over decline in Vaal Dam level
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