The Vaal Dam has once again declined this week, painting a grim picture for a dam that is critical for the water supply of the economic hub of Gauteng.

In a statement on Thursday, the Water and Sanitation Department said dam levels dropped from 37.6% last week to 37.0% in this week.

“The relentless decline, which has continued for months, has placed the dam in a poorer state when compared to the levels of last year in the same week when it stood at 58.6%.”

The Grootdraai dam in Mpumalanga and the Bloemhof Dam in the North West have also recorded drops this week. These dams are part of the dams in the  Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) that marked a drop in levels.

The Grootdraai Dam fell from 78.9% last week to 78.0% this week. During the same period last year, the dam was floating lower at 60.7%

For the third week in a row, the Free State’s Sterkfontein Dam remained stagnant at 93.9%, while last year at the same time it was at 92.0%. This indicates that this dam, which is a reserve dam, has stood firm for a number of months.

The Bloemhof Dam declined from 97.3% last week to 95.3%, however, it remains in a healthy state. Compared to the present levels, the dam was a shade lower but still stronger at 95.2% in the preceding year during the same time.

The department said it is concerned by the continued drop in the levels of the Mohale and Katse dams in Lesotho.

“Becoming emptier with each passing week, the Mohale Dam looks set to hit rock bottom as it fell from 6.0% last week to 5.3% this week. The dam’s situation looks unlikely to improve any time soon as in the comparative period last year it floated at 33.0%.

“In an equally dire situation is the Katse Dam, the levels of which are worsening weekly. The dam dipped from 27.5% last week to 26.3% presently, making it one of the fastest dams with dropping levels. The dam hovered under 20% at 17.0% in the same week last year.”

Despite a decline in its levels this week, the IVRS remains in a relatively healthy state this week. The IVRS consists of 14 dams, including the Vaal Dam which is key for water supply of industries such as the energy and chemical company Sasol and the electricity generating giant Eskom.

This week, the IVRS dropped from 60.4% last week to 59.7% this week. During the comparative period last year, it was higher and steady at 65.7%

In an effort to curtail water usage during this critical time, the Department of Water and Sanitation is calling on Gauteng consumers to limit their usage to household necessities and to refrain from watering gardens and other non-human consumption uses.

“The Department encourages consumers to adapt to the present conditions by making sure that the water sources are not contaminated with pollution and that foreign objects do not end up in the limited and diminishing water sources.”