South Africans have been encouraged to save water, as water resources and dam levels across the country, with the exception of the Western Cape, continue to decline consistently week-on-week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe national water storage of our combined dams has declined to 69.3% this week, from 69.3% last week,\u201d the Department of Water and Sanitation said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
This means that the country has 22 200.1 cubic metres of water is store, out of 32 012.2 cubic metres full capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWestern Cape water levels have improved in recent weeks due to wet weather conditions experienced in winter. To this end, the Western Cape provincial water storage is at 41.3% this week from 40.2% last week. The Cape Town Water Supply System with six dams is floating at 58.4% this week from 57.9% last week,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n
In contrast, the Eastern Cape is battling to recover as the provincial water storage declined once more to a low 53.4% this week compared to 54% last week.<\/p>\n
The Algoa Water Supply System, with five dams supplying water to Nelson Mandela Bay, is hovering at 19% this week from 19.2% last week.<\/p>\n
Amathole Water Supply with six dams supplying water to Buffalo City improved from 42.9% last week to 43.4% this week.<\/p>\n
The Klipplaat Water Supply System, with three dams supplying water to Queenstown, is at 43.2% this week from 43.3% last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no improvement in Limpopo\u2019s provincial water storage as levels took a nosedive to 64.4% this week from 66.5% last week. Luvhuhu Water Supply System, with three dams is at 97.3%, while Polokwane Water Supply System with two dams supplying water mainly to Polokwane is at 77.0%,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n
Northern Cape dams have lowered to 95.0% compared to last week\u2019s 96.4%.<\/p>\n
The Orange Water Supply System with two dams declined slightly to 92.1% this week from 92.3% last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cFree State Province dam levels have this week experienced a slight decline with 82.7% from last week\u2019s 82.9%. The Bloemfontein Water Supply System with four dams supplying water to Mangaung is at 56.3% this week from 56.8% last week,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n
Also on the declined are dams in Mpumalanga, sitting at 73.4% this week from last week\u2019s 73.5%.<\/p>\n
\u201cWater levels in the water management areas (WMA) also continued to drop in water volumes, with the Olifants WMA dropping from 67.4% last week to 67.3% this week and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA further dropped from 71.1% last week to 71.0% this week,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n
Water levels in KwaZulu-Natal have declined to 61.1% this week from 61.5% last week.<\/p>\n
The Umgeni Water Supply System with five dams is down to 73.1% this week from 73.7% last week.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gauteng dam levels have slightly improved to 99.6% from last week\u2019s 98.1%.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) with 14 dams continues to decline. This week, the IVRS declined to 65.4% from 65.7% last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cNorth West province\u2019s dam levels are steady this week. They are now at 70.3% this week compared to last week\u2019s 70.0%. The Crocodile Water Supply System with seven dams improved slightly, from 98.5% last week to 99.4% this week,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n
South Africans have been called to save water as the winter\u2019s dry season continues to negatively affect the country\u2019s water resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cWater users are reminded that South Africa is still a water scarce country, therefore water saving measures need to be heightened. While everyone is encouraged to wash their hands regularly with a soap, the department would like to advise that leaving a tap running while washing hands is wastage,\u201d the department.<\/p>\n