Western Cape water levels hold steady

18th March 2019

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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While the average water levels of the Western Cape's dams have remained steady over the past two weeks, the drought is far from over, the Western Cape government warns.

The average water level for all dams in the Western Cape currently stands at 39.8%, up from the 19.5% reported in the comparative week in 2018.

With rainfall in some regions across the Western Cape over the past ten days, the “water situation” is satisfactory and markedly better than it was last year at this time, Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell said on Monday.

“Last year, the province saw the average dam level for the entire province drop to around 16% before we started getting enough rain to make a real difference,” he explained.

However, while there has been some relief – in some areas more than others – and the province is heading to its usual winter rainfall period, he warned that the relief was “nowhere [near] enough to allow us to rest on our laurels”.

The dams supplying the City of Cape Town averaged water levels of 51.58% on Monday, compared with the 22.3% recorded in the same week last year.

“One highlight has been the improvement in the Gouritz river catchment area, an area that covers the bulk of the Karoo region. Dam levels have long measured below 20% but have seen an increase in average dam levels to 23.6% following recent rainfall in the region,” Bredell highlighted.

The Gamka dam in Beaufort West is 11% full.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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