The Kwena Dam, one of the strategic dams in Mpumalanga continues to drop in water volumes and has now dipped below the 90% mark. According to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly state of reservoirs report of 10 October 2022, the Kwena Dam in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District recorded a drop from last week's 91.7% to 89.5%.

All other listed dams in the Lowveld also continued to record declines in water levels, with only Driekoppies Dam remaining unchanged at 99.0%. Primkop Dam recorded the highest decline, dropping 8.2% from last week's 83.6% to 75.4%.

Blyderivierpoort dropped from 83.0% to 80.1%, Buffelskloof from 86.7% to 82.3%, Longmere from 82.7% to 81.7%, Klipkopjes from 97.4% to 92.8%, Witklip from 93.0% to 91.6%, Da Gama from 93.7% to 92.8%, Inyaka from 81.0% to 80.4% and Ohrigstad from 34.9% to 32.1%.

In terms of the Provincial overview, the average dam levels dropped from 91.4% to 90.4% and in the water management areas (WMA), the Olifants dropped from 80.8% to 80.0% and the Inkomati-Usuthu dropped from 95.3% to 94.6%. Even though the water levels continue to drop, the situation is much better than the same period last year when the average dam levels stood at 76.7% and the Olifants WMA was at 69.5% and the Inkomati-Usuthu stood at 84.6%.

As the water levels continue to drop, the Department of Water and Sanitation continues to encourage the public to use water wisely and sparingly taking into consideration that South Africa is a water scarce country and water has no substitute.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.