Dam levels rise by 9.2%

Water levels at dams supplying the Cape metropolitan area increased by a massive 9.2% for the week ending on 12 July.

Dams now stood at 72.7% full.

Consumption for the same period decreased by 27 million litres per day to 649 million litres compared with the previous week.

Just three weeks ago, dam levels were at 58.8%, and although rainfall was inconsistent during this period, a handful of significant storm events had done some heavy lifting for stored water supplies, Mayoral Committee for Water and Waste Xanthea Limberg said.

Cape Town is prone to a scarcity of potable water due to uncertain rainfall patterns, and came perilously close to having its taps run completely dry in 2018.

“While every bit of rainfall we receive is cause to be grateful, it should be noted that we are still tracking at below historic averages and as things stand, we are still experiencing the drought.

“It is important that we do not forget the harsh lessons learnt about the finite nature of our most precious resource,” Limberg said.

In addition to servicing the province’s biggest city, the system supplies water to towns in the Overberg, Boland, West Coast, and Swartland areas, and provides irrigation water for agriculture.

The latest data shows the Theewaterskloof dam, the largest supplying the city, is 69% full, while the second-largest, Voëlvlei, is at 63.8% of capacity and the Berg River dam is at 93.8%.

African News Agency