The Vaal Dam continues to inspire optimism for stable water supply this week as it indicated levels higher than last year’s during the same period.

Last year it was at 41.0% and this week it is at 90.3%. The Vaal Dam is one of the 14 dams that form the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS).

On the strength of major dams having been replenished to decent levels, the system (IVRS) experienced a slight decrease from 85,6% last week to 85.0% this week. Last year at the same time, the system was at 62,2%.

The Grootdraai Dam slightly decreased this week from last week’s 82.6% to 81.6% this week. However, the present levels of the dam are marginally higher than the 81.0% the dam recorded at the same time in the previous year.

Similarly, the Bloemhof Dam moved to an even stronger position this week as it increased to a remarkable 104.8% this week from an equally strong 99.0% last year, though it is slightly lower than the 105,8 of a week ago.

This is by no means a marginal improvement compared to last year at the same time. In contrast, the Sterkfontein Dam recorded a minor increase this week, rising from last week’s 99.8% to 99.9% presently.

The current levels of the dam are higher compared to the 93.9% during the same period last year.

This is most welcome for this reserve dam for the IVRS. Having been floating below the neutral 50% mark at this time last year when it stood at a low of 30.1%, Lesotho’s Katse Dam has gradually replenished to a decent 67.8% last week and has declined slightly to 66.8% this week.

The current level of the dam is a welcome relief as it remained worryingly in a shrunken state for a good period.

Despite having improved from a depressed state of 7.5% in the comparative period last year, another dam in Lesotho – the Mohale – continues to sit at dangerously strained levels of 31.2% this week, slightly down from the 31,8 of last week.

The Department of Water and Sanitation in Gauteng appeals to water consumers to attend to burst pipes and leaking taps timeously. The Department encourages water users to install low showerheads and aerators to all taps in the home.

This is profoundly important given the spread of the third wave of the coronavirus and the need for residents to wash their hands regularly with water and soap, whilst conserving water as a way of life.