Heavy rains help Vaal Dam levels to new high

The Vaal River System which consists of 14 dams including the Vaal Dam is the highest it's been in two years.

The Vaal River System which consists of 14 dams including the Vaal Dam is the highest it's been in two years.

Published Feb 23, 2017

Share

Johannesburg - The Vaal Dam has reached 81%, a miraculous recovery seeing as the dam was on 26% just four months ago. This is due to the heavy rains over the last few days which have brought with it great relief for the province and beyond.

The Vaal River System which consists of 14 dams including the Vaal Dam is the highest it's been in two years.

However Gauteng residents have been advised to continue saving water as its these dams that will get us through winter, water-wise.

Over the past day alone, the Vaal Dam went up nearly 10% with it being at just over 64% at the start of the week and 71% yesterday morning.

“The current rains have been helpful in a number of ways to the entire integrated Vaal River System,” said Sputnik Ratau spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS)

“A lot of water fell in the catchment areas and has been good for our dams, however this doesn’t mean the drought is over,” he said.

“The rise in levels doesn’t imply that people must stop saving water or using it sparingly.

“We have to remember that South Africa is a water scarce country and that the way we use our water will have an impact down the line,” Ratau stressed.

He said with the rainy season only ending late in April, they were hoping more rains like this would fall so that dam levels would continue to increase.

“We need to get more rains and continue saving water if we’re going to survive the winter and get to the next rainy season,” Ratau added.

The DWS, working together with Rand Water, is appealing to the public to turn the tide against any increase in water consumption.

The curtailment of water by 15% by municipalities still remains in force and the public is encouraged to adhere to these restrictions to avoid water levels falling to dangerously low levels.

Meanwhile, residents living along 19th Avenue in Alexandra township have been evacuated due to the continuous of the Jukskei River.

“So far no deaths reported but families closest to the stream have been evacuated as river level had risen overnight on Tuesday to 70%,” said City of Joburg spokesperson Virgil James

“Emergency Services are monitoring and on standby as well.

“In Diepsloot extension seven about 30 homes were flooded and nine in Orange Farm over Tuesday night and Wednesday, so the guys had their hands full,” he said.

James said that a really big acknowledgement must go to the city’s Joint Operations Committee that is coordinating efforts and responsibilities for the City to save, alert and evacuate people. The JOC are also working with the National Disaster Management Centre.

According to the SA Weather Service, as of yesterday Joburg and the Vaal area had so far received over 109 and 107 millimeters of rain in the last few days.

[email protected]

@Lanc_02

The Star

Related Topics: