Last weekend’s rainfall has thankfully added to the dam storage levels, now standing at a healthy 58.8% up from the 56.9% of last week.

Dam levels have yet to push past the 60% mark but are still much better than this time last year, when dam levels were at a mere 29%.

More rain is expected to hit the Mother City between Thursday and Friday this week, bringing a minimum of 5mm of rain over some areas and possible pushing dam levels above the 60% mark.

Although dams feeding the City of Cape Town are at 58.8%, large sections of the Karoo and the Gouritz River catchment area are a cause for concern.

Dam levels in this area are at an average of just 18%.

“We are quite concerned about the situation in the Karoo. Last week Oudtshoorn declared a local disaster with dam levels for the town standing at 30%. We are monitoring the situation and have sent provincial engineers and other experts to the area already to assess the situation and see what can be done to assist,”  MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell said to IOL.

“We are urging all residents in the Greater Oudtshoorn area to use water wisely and to report all leaks and water challenges to their local municipality. Every drop is critical.”

The City has urged residents to remain mindful of water usage as we get closer and closer to the warmer summer months.

Picture: Michael D. Kock/Gallo

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