The improvement in the water levels in the Mpumalanga Province bodes well for the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

Reliable supply of water is required to ensure that people are able to regularly wash their hands and curb the spread of the virus.

So far, South Africa has 1655 confirmed cases and 11 deaths. The number on COVID-19 testes conducted to date is 56 873.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has been working around the clock to insure that all citizens have access to water, and weekly state of reservoirs report shows that the listed dams and the water management areas in the Mpumalanga Province recorded slight improvements in water volumes over the week.

The report shows that the average dam levels increased from 74.7% to 75.0%.

Water Management areas that recorded an increase

The Olifants increased from 67.4% to 67.6% and the InkomatiUsuthu increased from to 71.6%.

The Ehlanzeni District recorded no declines in water volumes in the listed dams. The dams that recorded increases in water volumes include the Blyderivierpoort Dam that increased to 100.7%, Driekoppies Dam increased from 70.2% to 70.5%, Witklip Dam increased to 79.6%, Kwena Dam increased from 53.4% to 54.5%.

Da Gama Dam increased to 56.8%, Inyaka Dam increased to 56.5%, BuffelskloofNDam increased from 75.7% to 76.3% and Ohrigstad Dam increased to 12.5%.

Longmere, Klipkopjes and Primkop dams remained unchanged at 67.3%, 18.6% and 70.5%. Jericho Dam increased from 78.6% to 79.8%, Westoe Dam increased from 55.5% to 56.8%, Morgenstond Dam increased from 44.6% to 45.2% and Heyshope Dam increased from 82.0% to 82.1%.

Dams that recorded an drops in water volumes

Water levels in the Gert Sibande District took as some of the key major dams recorded drops in water volumes.

Grootdraai Dam dropped from 95.1% to 93.9%, Nooitgedacht Dam dropped
from 94.9% to 94.4% and Vygeboom Dam dropped from 100.5% to 100.4%.

The Nkangala District experienced a good week with improvements in the major dams in the Olifants catchment and the only negative was the drop in the critically low Rhenosterkop Dam which decreased from 1.8% to 1.7%. Witbank Dam increased from 97.8% to 98.4%,

Middelburg Dam increased from 95.7% to 96.7% and Loskop Dam increased from 98.8% to 100.1%.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has reiterated its call to the public to use the available water wisely, sparingly and in a more conservative manner as every drop of water counts during this trying period.

“As we wash our hands, let us be more water savvy so that every individual has access to water, the source of life. Let us make every drop count in the fight against this pandemic.”