The Vaal Dam continues to drop week-on-week as it slid into distressing levels this week. Presently, the Vaal dam stands at 46.5%, down from 47.2% last week.

Having stood at 68.5% exactly a year ago, its is dragging the Integrated Vaal River System slightly down to lower levels.

The Integrated Vaal River system, which consists of 14 dams, recorded a decline this week, dropping to 65.4% presently.

Compared with the levels of 72.0% last year at the same time, the system has been gradually falling to lower levels. Despite being in a healthier position compared with last year at the same time, the Grootdraai has seen a fall in levels from 85.2% last week to 84.6% this week.

During the same week last year the dam stood at equally strong levels of 71.5% The Sterkfontein Dam, which is a reserve dam situated in the Free State, stands at 93.6% for the successive week.

Last year at the same time it was almost full to capacity at an impressive 92.9% The smaller Mohale Dam’s levels in Lesotho are at 18.4%, from 11.4% last week and that of the Katse Dam, which is also in Lesotho, are presently at 34.5% from 35.3% last week. On upsurge this week, the Bloemhof Dam increased slightly this from 99.1% last week to 99.3%.

However, this is down when compared with same week last year when it was at full capacity at 101.6%.

As chances of rainfall are becoming fewer in the dry-winter season, the Department of Water and Sanitation in Gauteng has appealed for caution in the manner in which water is used as dam levels in Integrated Vaal River System continue to drop weekly.

The Department has also reiterated its call for water users to ease up on consumption as dam levels are showing signs of distress.

“This is evident in the decrease in levels of the Vaal Dam which was considerably stable during this time last year but now is below the 50% mark.”