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South Africans should prepare for water restrictions in the coming months as rising temperatures and evaporation put additional pressure on the country’s dams, which would require heavy downpours to remedy.
The Department of Water and Sanitation warned on Wednesday that although the levels of the dams appear to be stabilizing, rising temperatures threaten to “adversely affect them through evaporation” after temperatures reached an average of 30 degrees Celsius in the last weeks.
The statement warns that “unless it rains heavily soon, vast parts of South Africa could face dry conditions that are likely to leave residents with little or no drops to drink.”
The department said water levels in dams across the country are currently dropping one percent from week to week, and if warm conditions continue without much rain, municipalities “could be forced to introduce strict water restrictions. water to ease the situation. “
The Nelson Mandela region in the Eastern Cape was identified as an area where the situation is particularly dire.
“The municipality has sent an SOS message for immediate government intervention.”
According to a weekly report on dam levels released by the department, the average dam level in the province staggers below half.
Another area of concern is the Mopani district in Limpopo, where an ongoing drought has caused dam levels to drop below 20%, with the Middel Letaba dam almost completely dry at 1.3%. The Tzaneen dam fell from 11.4% to 10.5% of its capacity.
The department said that even the Free State, with the largest amount of water in the country, in the past three months has seen dam levels drop, from 87.3% to 75.3%, while Gauteng has seen a drop in their prey levels. 99.6% to 97%.
The drop in dam levels has been reflected across the country, except in the Western Cape, where winter rains have ensured that dam levels have risen last week.
The department is hopeful that this will provide a boost to the province’s economy, by allowing the wine industry to increase its exports.
The department has called on all South Africans to save water and lightning for rain.
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