The latest report on the State of Reservoirs by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) indicates a positive trend for the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District. Although the Mpumalanga Province experienced a slight drop in the overall water levels, the greater Lowveld region experienced a significant improvement in the water levels of most of the dams, with all the listed dams in the region remaining well above the 100% capacity level.
The increase in the water levels was evident across the Lowveld region. Leading the pack in the improvement of the water levels is the Vygeboom Dam, which experienced a substantial increase from 99.1% to 101.5%, followed by the Longmere Dam, which increased from 100.4% to 101.3%. Other dams that experienced an increase in water levels include Buffelskloof, which increased to 100.7%; Klipkopjes, which increased to 100.6%; Primkop, which increased to 102.4%; Kwena, which increased to 101.0%; and Inyaka, which increased to 100.7%. Of particular interest is the fact that the Da Gama Dam has returned to the triple digits, increasing from 99.8% to 100.3%.
However, despite the success in the Lowveld, the overall provincial average did experience a slight decline from 100.1% to 100.0%. This is a mixed bag for Water Management Areas (WMA) as a whole, with the Inkomati–Usuthu WMA experiencing a slight increase to 99.9%, while the Limpopo–Olifants WMA slipped to 98.8%. On a district level, Ehlanzeni remained unchanged at 100.8%, although the Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts both experienced slight drops. Only a handful of specific dams actually experienced a drop, including Driekoppies, which dropped slightly to 100.8%, and Nooitgedacht, which dropped to 100.1%.
Although the current levels are healthy, the DWS still encourages the public to be vigilant. The fact that South Africa is a water-scarce country means that even when dams are overflowing, it is essential to manage the water sustainably. The Department encourages all citizens to use water carefully, to fix leaks in their homes immediately, and to notify the authorities of any burst pipes. By preventing the vandalism of infrastructure and appreciating every drop, the public can help ensure a steady supply of water in the years to come.
