Vaal Dam water level dwindling and could soon sit below 50%

The Vaal Dam could soon sit below 50% as water levels continue to shrink on a weekly basis.

There are fears from the government about the shrinking water levels as the country enters the dry season.

Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said it was concerned because in the same week last year, the Vaal Dam was at 72.2%.

Presently, it sits at 50.6% and is down from 51.3% last week.

Ratau said the Grootdraai and Sterkfontein dams have similarly seen a decline in levels this week.

The Grootdraai decreased from 89.9% last week to 89.0% this week while during the same period last year it hovered at a slightly less but stable level of 76.7%.

“Recording a minor decrease, the Sterkfontein Dam is this week 93.4%, compared with the 93.5% last week. The current levels of the dam are the same as last year at the same time,” said Ratau.

Dwindling levels

He added the Bloemhof Dam had recorded an upsurge from 99.5% last week to 100.1% this week.

The Katse and Mohale dams continue to dwindle week-on-week.

“The Mohale Dam has worsened this week, falling from 15.3% last week to 14.4% this week. During a similar period in the preceding year, the dam hovered at an equally low 33.2%

“Floating at less than 40% for over a year now, the Katse Dam is presently at 37.6%, lower than last week’s 38.0%. Last year at the same time, it was at 34.9%,” Ratau said.

He added the decrease in critical dams in the Integrated Vaal River System had seen a corresponding but slight decline in its levels as it dropped from 67.9% last week to 67.7% this week.

The system hovered at 74.4% in the same week last year.

Ratau has called on water users in Gauteng to use water sparingly.

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