Water and Sanitation on Vaal River System update
The Department of Water and Sanitation will today open three more sluice gates, in addition to five that were opened yesterday at the Vaal Dam. The sluice gates will be opened at hourly intervals from 10:00 to 12:00 to gradually increase water outflows from approximately 707,860 to approximately 1132,576 cubic metres per second.
Water outflows at Bloemhof Dam will also be increased from 400 to 600 cubic metres per second this morning.
This is due to the rising water levels at both dams as a result of ongoing rains in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, including other parts of the country where rains have been persistent. Vaal and Bloemhof Dams have respectively recorded 109.26% and 99.62% this morning.
The opened eight sluice gates will increase water releases, and this may cause a possible overflowing of the riverbanks downstream which will affect infrastructure built in lower-lying areas within the floodplain.
The Department therefore issues a warning to communities to be alert to the rising water levels, particularly those around the Vaal Triangle, Parys, and low-lying areas next to the river. Farmers that have pumps and infrastructure directly next to the river are urged to take steps to safeguard them.
Those residing in the riparian areas of the Vaal River are also urged to be alert and remove valuable equipment, movable infrastructure, and livestock as river levels may continue to rise.
As part of the dam safety protocols, sluice gates are opened for controlled water releases when dam levels rise sharply and to prevent the water resource infrastructure from failing, as it may lead to dam bursting and causing a disaster of unimaginable magnitude. The Department implements these necessary controlled water releases at the dams as part of dam safety precautions to safeguard the infrastructure and to protect human life.
The Department will continue to actively monitor the inflow water levels at both Vaal and Bloemhof Dams.
Enquiries:
DWS head of communications
Dr Mandla Mathebula
Cell: 083 235 8675
E-mail: MathebulaM@dws.gov.za
#ServiceDeliveryZA
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