Dam levels across the Western Cape have remained stable, despite light showers in the past week.

The Cape Town Water Supply System (CTWSS) held at 73%, while the Western Cape State Dams stood at 78,95%, down slightly from 79,18% last week.

Theewaterskloof, the largest dam in the system, was at 72,92%, compared to 73,56% at the same time last year.

Western Cape Provincial Head of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, said the rain residents may have experienced had not fallen in key catchment areas.

“It is unfortunate that the rain we saw over the last week did not fall where it was most needed, and therefore did little to replenish our dams,” she said.

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El Niño

Given the effects of El Niño and shifting weather patterns, Bila-Mupariwa said the department remained encouraged when dam levels did not decline significantly.

She appealed to residents, businesses and industries to keep conserving water and avoid unnecessary wastage, as current dam levels were not increasing despite recent rainfall.

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Bila-Mupariwa assured stakeholders the department would continue tracking the province’s water situation and provide timely updates.

Next week (2 November) the department will reassess its water resource model using dam level data, with findings to be shared with stakeholders to determine whether water restrictions are needed in affected municipalities, she said.

According to forecasts from the South African Weather Service, a warm week lies ahead. Paarl is set to heat up from a maximum of 29 °C today, Tuesday 27 October, to 36 °C on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Cape Town will be slightly cooler, ranging between 23 °C and 26 °C over the next couple of days. In Stellenbosch the maximum temperature peaks at 32 °C on Saturday, 31 October.

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