The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has encourage the public to be more water conscious and use the available water in a wiser and efficient manner.

This is due to water levels continuing to drop.

The DWS weekly state of reservoirs report showed that the water levels in the listed dams and water management areas continue to drop every week and that the levels are far less than what was recorded during the same time last year.

According to the latest Department of Water and Sanitation weekly state of reservoirs report, the average water levels in the province dropped from 60.9% to 60.0%.

The report, which was published on 14 October, also shows that water levels in the water management areas continued to decline, with the Olifants water management area dropping from 50.3% to 49.5% and the Inkomati-Usuthu water management area dropping from 65.3% to 64.5%.

“This shows a continuous week on week decline in water levels and calls for serious and stringent actions and behavioural change to use the available water efficiently,” said DWS in a statement.

The Kwena Dam in the Ehlanzeni District which is critical in supplying the capital City of Mbombela is now below 40% and in the Nkangala District, the Rhenosterkop critical for supplying Dr JS Moroka and Thembisile Hani local municipalities further dropped from last week’s 0.7% to 0.6% taking the dam closer to drying up.

The report also shows that most of the dams are far much lower than they were at the same time last year. The majority of the listed dams are between five and ten percent lower that they were last year.

However, there are others which recorded major drops like the Primkop Dam which stands at 16.7% as compared to last year’s 49.3% and the Morgenstond Dam which stands at 37.5% as compared to last year’s 73.7%.

“In light of the continuing decline in water levels and the scarcity of rain, DWS would like to further encourage the public to conserve more water and keep our water resources clean and healthy as every drop counts in this water scarce country.

“The Department also reminds the public that water has no substitute therefore we all have a role to play to ensure water security for ours and future generations.”