Vaal Dam to get some much-needed help
The Department of Water and Sanitation has revealed that they will release water from the Sterfontein Dam in an attempt to supplement depleting water sources in and around Gauteng.
According to a statement from the department, the Vaal River Integrated System, which the Vaal Dam is part of, supplies water to approximately 12 million people and industries.
The drought scourge continues to wreak havoc in most parts of the country and this phenomenon has caused dam levels to deplete to unprecedented levels.
"The system continues to dwindle week on week and currently sitting at 26.6% level which is at its lowest," the department said in a statement.
Now the department plans to release water from its reserve, Sterkfontein Dam into the Vaal Dam on Monday.
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"The plan is to release water before Vaal Dam drops below 25% depending on the rate that the dam is dropping and should there be rainfall on days before the release; the plan will be reconsidered," the statement read.
The water will be released into the Nuwejaarspruit which joins the Wilge River in the outskirts of Harrismith flowing into the Vaal Dam and the department has assured residents in the area that the release will be done in such a way to avoid flooding.
"Farmers adjacent to the river are requested to remove pumps, livestock and farming equipment and not to abstract the water for agricultural purposes," the department said.
Despite the recent rainfalls the department has urged communities to use water sparingly.