The Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly status of Dams report indicates that Limpopo provincial water storage has slightly declined this week, from last week’s 56.7% to 56.2%, nevertheless this is an improvement from last year when water levels were at a low of 49.1% during the same period.

The biggest dam in the Province, De hoop situated at Steelpoort outside Burgersfort has declined moderately from 88.9% last week to 88.6% this week. This is still a considerable rise from last year’s 76.9%.

Flag Boshielo dam located in Olifants, in the Polokwane Water Supply System is sitting comfortably at 83.4%, a slight decrease compared to last week’s 84.7%.

This is a massive improvement from last year’s 51.6%. A total of seven dams in the province are sitting at above 90% mark.

Among them are Magoebaskloof which is at 100.2% from last week’s 100.1%. Mutshedzi Dam located in the far north of the province stands at 91.8% dropping from last week’s 93.6%, at the same time last year it was at sitting at 60.3%. Rust De Winter Dam has increased to 100.2.% an improvement from last week’s 99.3%.

The biggest Dam in Vhembe District; Nandoni Dam situated in the Luvuvhu River is pleasantly sitting at 94.0% a slim decline from last week’s 94.7%. The following dams are also hovering above 90% mark: Klaserie 94.1% a decrease from last week’s 95.3%, this is a significant improvement from last year’s 57.4%. Hans Merensky 97.6%, Vergelegen 90.4% and Dap Naude Dam at 97.0%.

The hardest hit dams in the province are Middel-Letaba which is almost dry at 0.7%. Other dams that are critically low are Glen Alpine at 6.8% a continual downfall from last week’s 7.3%, Doorndraai at 8.3%, Ebenezer going further down to 13.8% from last week’s 14.0%, and Tzaneen drops to 8.2% from last week’s 8.9%.

Middel-Letaba and Modjadji are also critically low at 0.7% and 9.6% respectively. Albasini Dam which is located in the east of Makhado town stands at 68.7% from last week’s 69.1%. The nearby Nzhelele and Nwanedi Dams sit at 65.5%, and 34.8% respectively. Tonteldoos Dam stands at 77.7%, Houtrivier Dam at 64.6%, and Warmbad Dam drops to 38.0%.

In light of these continuous declines in the province’s dam levels, the Department of Water and Sanitation has re-iterated its request to residents to utilise water in a prudent manner to avoid potential water shortages.