Minister lifts water curbs in Gauteng

MINISTER of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane yesterday announced the lifting of water restrictions in Gauteng.

This follows the sharp rise in dam levels as a result of the recent torrential rains.

The Vaal Dam which supplies the province, is 97.8% full and it is expected to reach full capacity by today.

The announcement comes in the wake of a dramatic change in the water situation following the rains that have saturated most parts of the country in the past 10 days.

In the past week, officials of the Department of Water and Sanitation have been monitoring dam levels around the clock to control water flow. The sluice gates of the Vaal Dam were opened on Sunday.

“I must thank the people of Gauteng for their efforts in helping us save water by adhering to the restrictions and for using water wisely and responsibly in the last three to four months,” said Mokonyane.

“I trust that the lessons learnt on responsible water use will become a norm and a way of life for us all and that we will adapt to the realities of being a water-scarce country.”

On Sunday, the department released volumes of surplus water at Bloemhof Dam in North West that was filled to its brim at the beginning of the week by the heavy downpours.

Communities who live downstream from the Bloemhof and the Vaal dams have been warned to relocate as they may be exposed to possible floods.

The minister noted that a few months ago dams averaged a low 54.8% in April 2016, 49.1% in December 2016 and 60.5% earlier in February.

The department monitors 211 dams – of these 13 are below 10%, with 33 between 10% and 40%.

So far 57 dams are above 100% full. Mokonyane, however, said the decision to relax the ban in Gauteng did not mean an automatic countrywide moratorium on water restrictions, as some regions were still reeling from the effects of the debilitating two-year drought that preceded the downpours.