As South Africa heads towards the summer rainfall season, the taps of Gauteng can count on a formidable safety net: the Integrated Vaal River System is 98.2% full, giving the country’s economic heartland one of its strongest water buffers in years.
The latest weekly figures from the Department of Water and Sanitation, reported by SAnews, paint a picture of dams brimming across the system that supplies Gauteng and surrounding areas.
Dams full to the brim
The numbers tell a happy story for water security:
- Vaal Dam, the workhorse that supplies Gauteng, stands at 101.0% of capacity.
- Bloemhof Dam rose from 108.0% to 109.8%, well above its full supply level.
- Sterkfontein Dam, the system’s strategic reserve, is steady at 98.8%.
- Grootdraai Dam holds firm at 96.9%.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project is adding to the strength, with Mohale Dam edging up to 101.8% and Katse Dam holding a healthy 81.9%. The department said storage above 100% is carefully managed through controlled releases to maintain reservoir levels and dam safety.
Prepared for whatever summer brings
The strong reserves come at exactly the right time. Weather forecasters are watching the possibility of an El Niño developing over summer, which could bring below-normal rainfall to parts of Southern Africa. Thanks to prudent management of inflows, releases and demand, the Vaal system enters that period with what the department calls an important buffer should drier conditions develop.
The department will keep monitoring reservoir levels, rainfall, catchment conditions and seasonal forecasts, and stands ready to act to protect supplies and maintain the resilience of the system.
Every drop still counts
Officials coupled the good news with a friendly reminder that full dams are not a licence to waste.
“Every effort to prevent water losses, reduce wastage and promote the efficient use of available water remains essential,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said.
For millions of households and businesses across Gauteng, the message is reassuring: the water is banked, the systems are working, and South Africa’s biggest river system is ready for summer.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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