The Western Cape’s dam levels have continued their concerning downward trajectory, with the Cape Town water supply system now sitting at 79.1% capacity – a significant drop from the 96% recorded at the same time last year, according to the latest weekly report from the Department of Water Affairs.
The provincial dam system as a whole has fared even worse, declining to 71.2% capacity compared to 91.7% in December 2024.
The past week alone saw the Cape Town system drop 1.9 percentage points from 80.9% to 79.1%, while the broader Western Cape system declined by 2.1 percentage points. This sustained weekly decline pattern suggests that recent rainfall has been insufficient to offset consumption and evaporation rates.
Among the key dams in the Cape Town supply system, Theewaterskloof – the largest contributor to the city’s water supply – stands at 74.2%, down from 95.7% a year ago. This represents one of the most significant declines in the system.
The Berg River dam, another crucial component, has dropped to 84.5% from 96.8% last December, while Voëlvlei has fallen from full capacity (100%) a year ago to 88.1% currently.
Even the typically robust Steenbras Upper dam, which remains the highest at 96.4%, has shown signs of pressure, declining from 98.1% just last week. Meanwhile, Steenbras Lower has experienced a more pronounced drop to 76.3% from 90.4% last year.
The timing of these declining levels is particularly concerning as the Western Cape approaches its peak summer and holiday period, when water consumption typically increases and natural inflows to dams are at their lowest.
And the hot windy weather continues this week, with temperatures in Paarl and Worcester reaching 35°C later this week, Clanwilliam and Malmesbury 37°C and Vredendal 40°C.
Water management authorities are expected to closely monitor consumption patterns in the coming weeks, with potential conservation measures being considered should the decline continue at its current pace.
Western Cape head of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, will be briefing the media on Wednesday to discuss the current state of the Western Cape water situation.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to continue practicing water-wise behaviour to help mitigate the ongoing decline in reservoir levels as the summer season progresses.
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