Source: Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa |

South Africa: Algoa Water Supply System gets boost from rainfall, albeit minimal

Kouga Dam is up from 12.8% to 14.1%, Impofu Dam is at 10.4% from last week’s 10.3% and Kromrivier Dam has gone up from 8.6% to 14.2%

Water levels are likely to remain low for the remainder of the year unless it pours for 24 hours, with 50mm of rain received to get runoff to the dams

PRETORIA, South Africa, June 28, 2022/APO Group/ --

The Algoa Water Supply System has received a minimal boost from the rainfall experienced in the Nelson Mandela Metro recently, increasing from a low 12.0% to 13.4%. This is according to a weekly report on dam levels issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation in the province early this week.

Hydrologists in the Department said that the marginal increase has done very little to improve the low dam levels in the Metro and expressed that water levels are likely to remain low for the remainder of the year unless it pours for 24 hours, with 50mm of rain received to get runoff to the dams.

Kouga Dam is up from 12.8% to 14.1%, Impofu Dam is at 10.4% from last week’s 10.3% and Kromrivier Dam has gone up from 8.6% to 14.2%. Also seeing an increase is Groendal Dam at 21.5% from 21.3% recorded in the last week. Loerie Dam steadily rose from 42.2% to 45.3%.

The Department has implored residents to cut down on their water usage as the current use exceeds the available supply, with the objective being to reduce total water use in City to below 230 million litres per day in total. This translates to about 180 litres per person per day for all use including business, government buildings, civil society as well as enhancing the response to water leaks which will drastically improve the situation.

Meanwhile, the Amathole and Butterworth Water Supply Systems supplying water to the eastern side of the province have recorded above average percentages at 76.3% and 100.0% respectively. Amid the good levels recorded, residents are urged to use water sparingly, fix and report leaks to their local authorities.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is working tirelessly to assist communities affected by the 6 hours water disruptions affecting operations of the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works through the provision of water through tankers. The disruption is as a result of the critical maintenance carried out by Eskom on Tuesday, 28 June 2022.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.