According to the latest statistics released by the municipality, the dams in and around Cape Town has reached 80.6% capacity. Meanwhile, collective water consumption is also inching up in Cape Town, with an increase of 20 megalitres (Ml) per day from 588Ml to 608Ml.
This year, some really good rainfall driven by a few strong cold frontal systems has significantly increased the levels of our dams. As a result, the current levels are sitting pretty, as can be seen by the following numbers:
- Berg River – 101.7%
- Steenbras lower – 98.9%
- Steenbras upper – 101.0%
- Theewaterkloof – 70.8%
- Voelvlei – 83.2%
- Wemmershoek – 85.1%
Just last year, the City of Cape Town was fighting a nightmare situation of the taps running dry after persistent dry weather, with very little rain and the dam levels rapidly decreasing. A “Day Zero”, action plan including water rationing, was announced as well, ready to be implemented if eventually the taps do in fact run dry.
Meanwhile, the national department of water and sanitation (DWS) said Western Cape dams across the province were on average 64.55% full, which was a 12% increase on last year.
Department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said DWS was still concerned though about “the very slow recovery of the dam levels in the Breede-Gouritz Water Management Area.
“The last four years have seen little to no rain within the Klein Karoo, Greater Karoo, Central Breede River and Southern Cape areas.
“The lower than average rainfall over the last eight years has not only contributed to the low dam levels, but has also significantly impacted on the declining groundwater levels and recharge within the Greater and Klein Karoo areas.”