A weekly status of reservoirs report issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation early this week shows that dam levels in KwaZulu-Natal have remained unchanged at 66.7%. The average recorded during a similar period last year was 53.4%.
Meanwhile, the province’s main water supply system, Umgeni, has recorded a marginal decrease from last week’s 74.2% to 73.7% in the current week. Comparative to last year, the system stood at 60.2%.
“Much as the provincial storage capacity remains the same as last week, this doesn’t mean residents should become complacent. Water conservation should continue in earnest as we do not know what to expect during the upcoming rainy season,” said spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.
Read: Cape Town Dam Levels Decrease Slightly To 98,8%
Ratau said KZN province being one of the wet provinces in the country, relies more on surface water supply from dams and direct river abstraction. He urged residents to report pollution to local authorities as this impacts negatively on water security in the province.
Meanwhile, one of the largest dams in the province, Albert-Falls Dam, has decline from 48.5% to 47.9%. The dam provides water to the eThekwini Metro and surrounding areas of the economic hub. Mearns Dam has declined from last week’s 72.2% to 61.6% this week.
Driel Barrage Dam is at 79.8%, down from last week’s 86.6% while Craigie Burn and Zaaihoek Dams are unchanged at 100.4% and 75.4% respectively.
Ntshingwayo Dam has marginally decreased from 70.2% to 69.5%, Klipfontein Dam from 74.3% to 71.0% and Bivane Dam remaining at 76.6%.
The Department had reiterated its call to residents to use water sparingly as temperatures continue to rise, leading to evaporation and resulting in a decline of water levels.
