Dams healthier after rains

29 November 2016 - 02:04 By PENWELL DLAMINI

The volume of water in most dams is on the rise, with the exception of those in the Cape provinces, which are still badly depleted, the Department of Water and Sanitation said yesterday. "Over the past week . we have been on an upward trend," said department spokesman Sputnik Ratau. "The only places that were struggling were Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Western Cape. On the national average, we have been going up . it is now almost 50%. It was 49.3% on Monday last week."The rains over the past couple of days, and that the Vaal Dam is receiving water from the Katse Dam, in Lesotho, and from Sterkfontein Dam, in the Free State, has changed the figures."Gauteng has had good rains over the past week but a heatwave is expected this week, which will increase the demand for water.Ratau said it was difficult for the department to speculate about how long the restrictions on the supply of water to municipalities would be necessary."Restrictions must not be looked at as punitive. They are meant to assist us," he said...

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