Recent heavy rains have pushed dam levels across the Western Cape up by 10%, offering a welcome boost to the province’s water reserves.
According to the department’s latest hydrological report, the Cape Town water supply system now sits at 73.11%, up from 64.65% just weeks ago. The department’s regional head, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, said this marks a notable improvement when compared to the same period last year.
This time in 2024, levels stood at 68.06%. Over the past four weeks, we’ve seen a steady weekly increase of around 2%, but the most recent rainfall has pushed us over the 10% mark, Bila-Mupariwa said to EWN.
The province’s largest reservoir, Theewaterskloof Dam, has also seen an encouraging rise. The dam forms a major part of Cape Town’s water system, supplying security for the city and surrounding regions.
She urges that Water-saving remains critical, even in times of abundance. The department will continue monitoring the situation closely and implement necessary measures to protect these reserves.
The City has been exploring long-term solutions to future-proof its water supply, including the proposed water recycling plant in Faure, which aims to support the city during extended periods of drought.
As winter continues, authorities hope dam levels will rise even further; irrespective of this, the call to use water wisely remains firmly in place.
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