{"id":49152,"date":"2023-01-05T11:17:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T11:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southafricavoice.com\/?p=49152"},"modified":"2023-01-06T11:18:24","modified_gmt":"2023-01-06T11:18:24","slug":"south-africans-urged-to-use-water-sparingly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southafricavoice.com\/south-africans-urged-to-use-water-sparingly\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africans urged to use water sparingly"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has called on South Africans to use water sparingly and adhere to water restrictions imposed in some municipalities.<\/p>\n

Water capacity at reservoirs nationally showed a slight decrease this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cA weekly state of the reservoirs report issued \u2026 early this week shows that the volume of water stored in the country\u2019s reservoirs has marginally decreased by 0.2%, from 94.4% last week to 94.2% this week. During the corresponding period last year, the national water storage was recorded at 94.1%.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the stable outlook of the national water storage, the Department of Water and Sanitation still calls on all water users to be circumspect in the way they consume water. All water users are urged to use water sparingly and adhere to water restrictions imposed by their respective municipalities in efforts to ensure water security in the country,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n

The department said the Eastern Cape \u2013 which is facing drought in some areas \u2013 recorded a slight increase in water storage from 76.9% last week, up to 77.3% this week.<\/p>\n

However, the DWS warned that water supply in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality remains under serious pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Algoa Water Supply System, with five dams in the drought-stricken Nelson Mandela Bay area, has recorded a 0.4% decrease, plunging to 15.1% this week from 15.5% last week. The system is 3.6% lower compared to same period last year when it was at 18.7%. The Department, working with Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is implementing various intervention projects in the area to ensure that the system does not fail.<\/p>\n

\u201cOther water supply systems in the Eastern Cape, such as Amathole, Butterworth and Klipplaat are at a healthy state at 101.7%, 100.1% and 100.2% respectively,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n

Other provinces recorded the following dam levels:<\/p>\n