FREE STATE – The average water level in Free State dams has decreased slightly to 98.7%, down from 99.7% the previous week, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
Most provincial dams remain above 90% capacity despite marginal declines, with water users urged to conserve supplies.
In its latest weekly dam-level report, released on 11 November, the department recorded marginal declines across most of the province’s major dams. Despite the decreases, the majority of reservoirs remain above 90% capacity.
Gariep Dam recorded one of the more notable declines, dropping from 99.8% to 98%, while Vanderkloof Dam decreased from 99.5% to 98.7%.
Gariep Dam recorded more notable decline
Other dams also registered lower levels. Rustfontein Dam declined from 95.4% to 94.4%, Krugersdrift Dam from 100% to 99%, and Groothoek Dam from 94.6% to 93%.
Bloemhof Dam dropped from 93.1% to 92.2%, while Welbedacht Dam recorded a decrease from full capacity to 96.7%.
Fika-Patso Dam also declined slightly, from 78.6% to 77.5%, making it one of the few reservoirs in the provincial report below 90%.
Metsi-Matsho Dam recorded a slight improvement, increasing from 93.9% to 94.1%.
Sterkfontein Dam remained unchanged at 98.8%, maintaining its high level.
Residents urged to conserve water
The department continues to monitor dam levels and has urged residents and other water users to use water sparingly and responsibly as the province heads into the summer months.
Although current storage levels remain encouraging, the DWS has emphasised the importance of responsible water consumption to help safeguard supplies.
Residents are also encouraged to report water leaks and damaged infrastructure to their respective municipalities to prevent unnecessary water losses.
The latest figures indicate that the Free State remains in a favourable water-storage position, although the department’s call for conservation highlights the need to protect available resources.
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