As a result of increased rainfall in recent weeks, the total volume of water in storage across South Africa’s dams and water systems increased this week from 47.9% to 48.7%, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

The department further confirmed that water released from the Sterkfontein dam has reached the Vaal dam and, boosted by the increase in rainfall, this has increased the catchment level from 26.5% to 31.5%. This also improved levels in the integrated Vaal system, which is now above 50% again.

Moreover, the DWS confirmed that several dams in the country are above 100%.

Meanwhile, the Crocodile West system, benefiting from Tshwane and Johannesburg runoff, increased from 79.8% to 84%, while the Vaal system, with 14 dams serving Gauteng, Sasol and Eskom, rose from 49% to 50.6%, compared with 66.3% recorded this time last year.

The Vaal dam now stands at 31.5% from 26.2% earlier this month, while the Katse dam is at 39.1%, up from 37.9%. Grootdraai rose sharply to 72.5% from 65.5%, but the Sterkfontein dam declined slightly from 91.8% to 91.3%. 

Bloemhof dam remains unchanged at 11.4%.

The Orange river system, meanwhile, declined slightly from 52.4% to 52.2%, compared with 68% this time last year, while the Polokwane system, with two dams, also dropped from 28.3% to 28.1%, after recording a level of 64.1% last year.

The Crocodile West system, with six dams serving Tshwane, Madibeng and Rustenburg, was at 74.9% last year but has risen to 84% this week from 79.8%.

The Western Cape system, with six dams serving the City of Cape Town, was at 68.1% last year, but is now at 57.8% from 58.7%. Voëlvlei dam dropped from 69.1% to 67.4% and Berg River to 70.4% from 71.4%, while Theewaterskloof is down from 50.9% to 48.5%.

The Brandvlei dam levels dropped from 55.1% to 53.8%. Clanwilliam also dropped to 92.3% from 95%, while Kwaggaskloof also dipped to 52.9% from 53.8%.

The Algoa system, with five dams serving Nelson Mandela Bay, dropped from 67.3% to 66.4%. The system was 100.2% this time last year.

The Amatola system, with six dams serving Buffalo City, was 99.2% last year and gained from 77% to 77.7% this year. The Umgeni system, with five dams serving Ethekwini and Msunduzi, rose from 44.3% to 46%, but was at 63.2% last year. The Nagle river, meanwhile, rose from 69.4% to 72.3%, while the Midmar dam levels rose from 48.6% to 50.5%.

Despite there being a slight increase in dam levels, the DWS has urged community members and industries to adhere to water restrictions imposed by their respective municipalities. “It will take time for the dam levels to reach the normal levels,” it stated.