The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) weekly reservoir report paints a picture of the Vaal Dam in a precarious position, with the levels of the Integrated Vaal River System also taking a knock this week.

This follows the Vaal Dam’s sliding to its lowest this week. Presently, the dam is at a lower level of 41.6%, less from last week’s 42.6%.

In the preceding year during the same time the dam stood at 63.7%. On the contrary, Grootdraai Dam is in a stable state this week. This is despite recording a decline from 81.4% last week to 80.9%.

In the comparative period last year, the dam was lesser at a moderate 65.8%. Shaking off the 93.9% at which it stood for three successive weeks, the Sterkfontein Dam saw an increase to 94.0% this week. At the same time last year, it stood at similarly secure levels of 92.4%

The Sterkfontein Dam is not the only dam to float at impressive levels as the Bloemhof Dam equally went up from 99.5% last week to a few shades closer to 100% at 99.7% this week. This surge is progressively ticking up towards the 100.6% at which the dam stood during the same week in the preceding year. The Lesotho’s Mohale Dam persists to float in a shocking state as it falls ever more into a crisis. As has become normal week-on-week, the dam fell from thin levels of 8.0% last week to a withering 7.5% this week. The dam has not seen any meaningful improvement from its levels of 33.2% last year in the same week.

The Katse Dam is another dam in Lesotho that is increasingly moving in the direction of the Mohale Dam. It dropped from 31.0% last week to 30.1% this week. However, the present levels are an improvement when compared to the same time last year at 21.3% Overall, the health of the Integrated Vaal River System remains relatively stable as it declined from 63.3% to 62.9% last week.

The IVRS is made up of 14 dams of which the Vaal Dam is part and is a critical source of water supply of major cities in a number of provinces. In addition to calling on the water users to use water sparingly, the Department of Water and Sanitation hopes the transition to Spring and eventually summer-rain period will reverse the severe impact on the cold whether on the levels of the dams.

This, however, does not mean that water consumers should let their guard down but should rather press ahead with conservation measures.

The Department hopes the transition from the dry-winter season will bring muchneeded respite to the dwindling levels of the Vaal Dam and the general health of the IVRS.