The average water levels of the Integrated Vaal River System declined from 63.7% last week to 63.3% this week.
This is a year-on-year decline from the 69.5% reported in the corresponding week last year.
The water levels of the Vaal dam, a major dam within the system, remain constrained as it contracts even further from last week’s 43.4% to 42.6% this week, triggering the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in Gauteng to call for a bare minimum use of water.
The lower levels indicate that the dam has been hovering under stress for some time, a situation which is now worsened by the dry winter season, the department says.
“The drop in dam levels could spell a serious situation if water consumers do not heed the call to use water cautiously during this dry winter season. Of critical importance, the levels of the Vaal dam are reaching critical levels week-on-week and this requires everyone to save water as much as possible,” the DWS said in a statement.
The Grootdraai dam recorded water levels of 81.4% this week, a contraction on the 82.4% reported last week; however, this is an improvement on the 66.8% the dam was at during the same period last year.
The Sterkfontein dam, in the Free State, maintained its water levels at 93.9% for a third consecutive week, while the Bloemhof dam increased to 99.5% this week.
However, the Mohale and Katse dams in Lesotho remain at critically low water levels.
The Mohale dam recorded a decline of its average water levels from 8.5% last week to 8% this week.
“The dam has been in a concerning state ever since last year during the same week when it was at 33.2%,” the DWS said.
The water levels of the Katse dam declined from 31.6% last week to 31% this week.