Good rains have fallen over large parts of Cape Town, Boland and Overberg areas since the weekend, continuing into this week, but dam levels across the Western Cape remain concerningly low with only marginal improvements currently recorded.
The Department of Water and Sanitation stated that only a minimal change in dam levels has been recorded across the Western Cape this week, with slight movements observed across key systems.
According to the latest weekly dam levels report released by the department, Cape Town’s combined dam system increased marginally from 44,17% last week to 44,51% this week, reflecting a slight improvement.
The Western Cape’s overall dam levels recorded a slight decrease, moving from 42,20% last week to 42,18% this week, indicating sustained pressure on provincial storage levels.
The Theewaterskloof Dam, which is the largest dam in the Western Cape supply system, dropped from 43,56% last week to 43,19% this week, continuing its gradual decline and placing further pressure on the province’s primary water source.
Other key systems showed mixed results. The Berg River Catchment improved from 45,61% to 46,79%, while Misverstand Dam dramatically decreased from 98,67% to 46,79%. The Steenbras Upper Dam rose slightly from 57,65% to 58,20%, and Steenbras Lower Dam increased from 33,78% to 34,17%.
Although this week’s movements are minor, dam levels remain significantly lower than optimal. The Department of Water and Sanitation urges residents, businesses and industries to use water sparingly and avoid unnecessary consumption to ensure long-term water security.
The department said it will continue to monitor dam levels closely, provide regular updates and implement necessary measures to ensure sustainable water management across the province. It is calling on all Western Cape residents to continue using water sparingly.
It is hoped that dam levels may rise more later this week as rainwater run-off from the mountainous areas and rivers continues to flow into the dams.
