Limits have been placed on the abstraction of water from the catchment areas of the dams supplying the Vaal River and Orange River systems.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has issued the necessary gazette to reduce such abstraction for the purposes of domestic and irrigation uses (Notice 910 in Gazette 40203) in order to avoid a water shortage in the Vaal and Orange River System.

An abstraction limit of 10% has been placed on all users for domestic and industrial water use and a further 15% on water used for irrigation purposes by water users of the Orange River system.

In the Vaal River System, the limit includes 15% of curtailment on urban water use and 20% of curtailment on irrigation water use.

In exercising these powers, the DWS reports that it has given preference to the maintenance of the reserves, has treated all water users on a basis that is fair and reasonable, and considered the extent of the water shortages and its likely effects on water users.