There has been a marginal improvement in the combined storage capacity of Eastern Cape dams.
The National Department of Water and Sanitation said that there had been an improvement of 1% this past week, but the Department was still urging water users to continue to use water wisely.
“According to the dam levels report issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the dam levels across the province improved from last week’s 67.1% to 68.1% this week,” said Department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau in a statement on Thursday.
He said however that the concern remains that these levels will drop drastically as the winter season is fast approaching.
“The status of Mzimvubu- Tsitsikamma reservoir has improved to 68.0% this week. The report indicated that there has been an improvement in most dams in the province for areas such as Buffalo City Metro with dams like Laing Dam standing at 101%, Nahoon Dam sitting at 96.3%, Xilinxa Dam is sitting at 52.9% and Rooikrantz Dam is sitting at 100.5% this week. Amathole Water Supply System is moderate with recent rainfalls and sitting at 91.7%”.
Ratau said that the area of Nelson Mandela Bay is still struggling, with dams there below the 50% average. He said Kouga Dam is battling at 10.2%, Impofu Dam is sitting at 37.5% while the Groendal Dam is standing at 49.7%.
“Water users in Eastern Cape are encouraged to inculcate the culture of saving water at all times because the province remains a disaster as declared so by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs early this year,” he said.
