Cape Town - Recent rains and ongoing savings efforts by the residents of the Western Cape have seen dam levels rise to 53.5%.
At the same time last year, dams were just 31% full, while in 2016, the levels were around 57.14%.
The dams feeding the City of Cape Town are standing at 60%. Last year, they were just 32% full.
Of continued concern is the situation in the Gouritz River catchment area which includes large sections of the Karoo. Dam levels in that region are only at 18%.
Local government, environmental affairs and development planning MEC for the Western Cape, Anton Bredell said increased rainfall over the past few months has provided some relief.
"However the province’s biggest dams are still not filling up as fast as we may have hoped, to levels we can be really happy about."
Bredell said the current levels are more or less on par with historic (2015 and 2016) levels.
"The notable exception is the Gouritz River catchment area where the current levels of 18% are way off the levels of 45% seen in 2016.
"The system remains vulnerable and demand is sure to pick up in the coming summer months, so we continue to urge frugal water usage moving forward," he said.
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