Additional reporting by ETHIENNE ARENDS
IN THE GO! & Express today (Thursday, November 16) we reported that the Eastern Cape dam levels have dropped from 59.8% to 59.1% in the week ending November 6, according to a weekly report issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
But with the persistent rain throughout the province over the last two days the situation has changed quite a bit. Nahoon Dam, the smallest dam in the Amathole area at 19.3 FSC (FSC is full storage capacity in million cubic meters), was overflowing after the good rains this week.
The report said water Supply Systems show signs of declining weekly, with the Amatola System, which has six dams serving the Buffalo City Metro having declined from 67.8% to 67.1%, compared to 77.0% last year.
Nahoon Dam in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) had dropped from 97.6% last week to 96.1%, a slight decrease of 1.5% by November 6, with Bridle Drift, the biggest dam serving BCM down from 55% last week to 53.6%.
The Algoa System, with five dams serving Nelson Mandela Bay has registered a drop from 29.6% to 29.1%, compared to 67.3% last year. Although we do not have the figures yet, this should also have changed as heavy rains were reported in the area this week.
Xilinxa Dam in the Amathole District Municipality registered at 6.9% this week, compared to 7.0 % last week and Gcuwa Dam is standing at 19.2% this week, compared to 57.9 % last week – a huge decline of 38.7% – but all before the heavens opened this week.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is appealing to communities and businesses to obey water saving measures as dam levels across the province continue to drop due to the current drought situation that is devastating most district areas.
