As of Monday, Cape Town’s water reserves are showing signs of strain with overall dam levels dipping to 78.7%, marking a notable decrease of 1.9% from the previous week.
Cape Town dam levels: Another week of high consumption sees 1.9% drop
Breaking down the stats, the six major dams present a mixed bag of results.
The Berg River Dam is somewhat stable at 81.7%, while Steenbras Lower is a bit on the low side at 71.9%. Steenbras Upper is nearly full at 96.0%, showing some resilience. Meanwhile,
Theewaterskloof and Voëlvlei are treading water at 77.3% and 74.7%, respectively, and Wemmershoek is doing relatively well at 89.0%. The smaller dams, which often fly under the radar, are at a combined level of 56.8%, indicating a significant need for rain.
Here is a comparative look at this week’s Cape Town dam levels:
Dam | Capacity (Ml) | % Full | Last Week | Change % |
---|---|---|---|---|
Berg River | 130,010 | 81.7% | 83.8% | -2.1% |
Steenbras Lower | 33,517 | 71.9% | 74.6% | -2.7% |
Steenbras Upper | 31,767 | 96.0% | 94.0% | +2.0% |
Theewaterskloof | 480,188 | 77.3% | 79.3% | -2.0% |
Voëlvlei | 164,095 | 74.7% | 76.7% | -2.0% |
Wemmershoek | 58,644 | 89.0% | 92.2% | -3.2% |
The primary reasons for the dwindling dam levels are multifaceted.
Despite early winter rains providing some relief, the precipitation was less than expected and failed to significantly replenish water sources. Coupled with Cape Town’s consumption rate of 1010 million litres per day, the balance between supply and demand is tightening.
It’s a classic case of high demand meeting unpredictable supply, exacerbated by changing weather patterns and increasing consumption rates.