KwaZulu-Natal dams less than 50% full‚ and ‘will not get better’ soon

29 March 2016 - 14:10 By Matthew Savides

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that the ongoing drought KwaZulu-Natal is “will not get better” until at least the last few months of the year.In a statement issued on Tuesday morning‚ department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said: “The high temperatures‚ low rainfall‚ and very dry soils mean that our dams are unlikely to fill well during this (summer) season.“Considering the dry season in late autumn and winter‚ the situation will not get better soon‚” Ratau added. KwaZulu-Natal typically has summer rainfall.Water restrictions are in place across the province‚ particularly in northern areas. Restrictions have also been implemented in major towns‚ including Durban and the provincial capital of Pietermaritzburg.“In KwaZulu-Natal‚ some dams have run dry while others’ levels are falling fast. Averages of dam levels in KwaZulu-Natal are less than 50%‚ down by a large margin compared to previous years‚” Ratau said.In light of the situation‚ Ratau said it was vital to use water "sparingly and wisely". – TMG Digital/BDlive..

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