Slight decline in dam levels

The KZN Department of Water and Sanitation has pleaded with communities not to vandalise water infrastructure as dam levels in the province see a minimal decrease this week.

This as the province remains on edge following violent unrest this week. The KZN water storage capacity has declined from last week’s 71.6% to 71.4%.

Goedertrouw Dam near eShowe is currently at 73.4% while Hluhluwe and Pongolapoort Dams are at 92.3% and 57.6% respectively.

‘You will note that there are some areas which have had water supply challenges and as such, we have through our entities and various municipalities been augmenting water through water tankers,’ said DWS spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau.

Ratau said that as a result of the ongoing protests, it has been difficult for some municipalities to dispatch water trucks to affected communicates.

‘It is for this reason that we implore members of the community to steer away from vandalising infrastructure and report such acts to local authorities,’ he said.

‘We have dams on the system which are doing fairly well such as the Midmar Dam which presently stands at 97.6%, a minimal decline from last week’s 98.1%,’ said Ratau.

Albert-Falls Dam, which supplies the eThekwini Metro and surrounding areas, is down from last week’s 53.9% to 53.3%. Inanda Dam on the Umgeni River is at 93.6% from 94.5% in the previous week.

Meanwhile, Hazelmere Dam is below average at 45.8% from 46.9% in the previous week.

The Department said infrastructure vandalism can be reported on 0800 200 200.