MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The latest data available on the state of Western Cape dam levels indicates that recent rains are helping - to some extent - to address the province's water shortages.
Dam levels in the province continue to increase slightly and have reached an average level of 53.5%. Last year at this time, dams were still at 31%.
The dams feeding the City of Cape Town are at 60% (2017: 32%).
Of continued concern is the situation in the Gouritz River catchment area which includes large sections of the Karoo. Dam levels in that region are only at 18%.
Mossel Bay residents are requested to save water as the areas surrounding the town are in dire straits, with fodder being delivered to farmers as drought relief.
The Hartebeestkuil dam is a mere 4.7% full, with the Ernest Robertson Dam at 45.1%. Mossel Bay depends on water from the Wolwedans Dam. This dam is at 79.8%.
Anton Bredell, the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, says increased rainfall over the past few months has provided some relief.
"However the province's biggest dams are still not filling up as fast as we may have hoped, to levels we can be really happy about."
Bredell says the current levels are more or less on par with historic (2015 and 2016) levels. "The notable exception is the Gouritz River catchment area, where the current levels of 18% are way off the levels of 45% seen in 2016.
"The system remains vulnerable and demand is sure to pick up in the coming summer months, so we continue to urge frugal water usage moving forward," said Bredell.
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