NO CHANGE IN DAM LEVELS DESPITE RAINS

MBABANE – Once again, the rains received over the weekend did not make any improvements in dam levels.

In fact, government is lamenting the constant decrease of water levels in the country’s dams. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, under its Water Affairs Department, has noted with disappointment that water levels in the country’s dams are gradually decreasing.

Through the permission of the ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS) Winnie Stuart, the Water Affairs Department has released current figures of water levels in some of the country’s dams.
The department’s Bongekile Matsebula said the ministry noted with dismay that instead of improving, water levels were dropping in the country’s major dams. “Maguga Dam is currently at 16.73 per cent in water carrying capacity, while Lubovane Dam is at 52.2 per cent and Mjoli Dam is at 7.27 per cent,” said Matsebula.

She said though she did not have immediate figures of the dams before they reached these percentages, it was imperative to note that no change has been made by the recently received rainfall. “In actual fact, in all the dams, water levels have been dropping,” she said.

Matsebula said the ministry was seriously concerned, particularly with Mjoli Dam, where water levels have drastically decreased.
Meanwhile, Swaziland Water Services Corporation (SWSC) Public Affairs Manager Nomahlubi Matiwane said Hawane Dam was still at one per cent water carrying capacity despite the rainfall received these past few days. “Nothing has changed at Hawane Dam, the situation is still awful,” said Matiwane.

She said it was expected that water levels would decrease drastically if there was no rainfall and temperatures continue to rise.
Hawane Dam was the major supplier of water to Mbabane and Ngwenya residents before it reached very low levels that the SWSC could no longer continue sourcing water from it. “The company continues to advise the public to use water sparingly as we deal with the situation of water scarcity,” Matiwane said.

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