The Vaal Dam has hit 100%, this after being at just 25% in December 2020.
Gauteng, South Africa (09 February 2021) – The Vaal Dam has reached 100% capacity after heavy rains in Gauteng and the rest of the country.
In December last year, the dam was only 25% full. This is also the first time since 2018 that it has reached the 100% mark.
The critical dams in the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) persist in holding firm and are rising up, owing to the ongoing rainfalls while the IVRS itself increases its levels to a healthier position week-on-week. The largest system in the country, the IVRS is critical to the economic hub of the Gauteng Province, supplying water to key industries such as Sasol and the leading electricity utility Eskom. Other than Gauteng, the Free State, North West, and Mpumalanga are reliant on the system for their water supply.
Guys, the Vaal Dam is at 100%!!!
I’m not sure if you remember but in September 2020 it dipped below 30%!!! The dam has gone from the first photo to the second in 5 months!
This is really good news. Happy Monday! pic.twitter.com/no6GR0F2oK
— Brent Lindeque (@BrentLindeque) February 8, 2021
One of the major dams in the system, the Vaal Dam, recorded a massive rise this week. Presently hovering at 100%, the dam went up from 75.0% last week. Judged against last year’s levels at the same time when the dam was sitting 57.0%, this week’s levels are substantially higher.
South Africa is a water-scarce country, so no matter how much it rains, we should always be saving water where possible!
The Department of Water and Sanitation wishes to thank the water consumers for responding to calls to use water wisely and sparingly but continues to make calls for them to continue to conserve the resource.
In this regard, the Department urges water users where possible to install rainwater tanks to collect water rain from the gutters of roofs and to store in rain tanks or similar storage devices for garden irrigation. This water could also be directed to garden areas so that this is not wasted and washed into the storm-water system.
Here are the current Dam Levels in Gauteng:
- Grootdraai Dam – 105,1%
- Bloemhof Dam – 102,9%
- Vaal Dam – 100%
- Sterkfontein Dam – 96,6%