Residents living downstream of the Vaal, Bloemhof and Hazelmere dams have been warned to be vigilant after the opening of some of the dams’ sluice gates last week.
The department of water & sanitation said the recent downpours had led to the opening of five sluice gates in the Vaal Dam on Wednesday.
Three sluice gates had been opened on Tuesday due to the huge amount of inflows as a result of the recent rains.
Hydrology experts also recommended the release of water from the Bloemhof Dam.
The department said after the devastation caused by rain in KwaZulu-Natal, a decision was also reached for Umgeni Water to release water from the Hazelmere Dam, to the north of Durban.
However, since then 3 more sluice gates on the Vaal have been opened, taking the total to eight.
“We continue to call on communities to steer clear of the dam as the outflow continues to surge. We will continue to monitor the situation and update the public as and when the information comes,” said the spokesperson of the department of water and sanitation, Sputnik Ratau. He said there had been more inflows into the dam since the previous week.
“Levels rose as we have had more inflows. Two days ago [Wednesday] the dam level was at 110%. It continues to rise.” Now the dam is at 115% capacity.
Ratau said opening sluice gates would reduce the dam’s capacity.
The warning issued last week for residents living downstream to remain vigilant still applies and was now more critical. He urged communities with equipment in and near the dam to remove it to avoid damage.
[Photo: Alaister Russell]