Dry times ahead as dams shrink

14 June 2016 - 09:05 By Shenaaz Jamal

Before the next rainy season, dam levels are expected to drop by 10% and the Department of Water and Sanitation has warned this will affect water availability and access. The department released figures showing a 0.4% weekly decrease in water levels in dams across all nine provinces."We rely greatly on rain and we have not had much over two seasons and this is a cause for concern," said spokesman Sputnik Ratau.Of the 211 dams monitored 12 are below 10%, 64 are below 40%, and only 18 are at 100%."When dam levels are anything below 25% it is a problem. The Umgeni system serving eThekwini and Mzinduzi saw a decrease of 1.5%."Dams at Klipfontein (17.4%), Goedertrouw (20%) and Hluhluwe (13.4%) are still falling. ..

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