Maintenance work on the Gariep Dam in the Free Sate is well underway according to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

The project, which includes the installation of a bulk water meter, started in July 2017 and is expected to be completed by February 2018.

According to the department the meters have become absolute and no longer give the correct indication on the releases of water.

“The objective of the maintenance project is to enable operators to release the correct amount of compensation water into the river system,” the department explained.

Dam levels declining

The Department of Water and Sanitation anticipates that at the end of the project, the Dam will be able to release the correct amount of water required and reduce the chances for over or under releasing of water downstream.

“DWS would like to indicate that the project at the moment is going as planned and the project is showing better progress as it continues.”

According to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly dam levels report of 06 November 2017, the Gariep dam decreased from 61.1% last week to 60.3% this week. Last year by this time the dam was 47.5% full.

“DWS would like to encourage everyone to continue using water wisely as the dam levels continue to decline,” the department concluded.