Gaborone dam at lowest ever
Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Tuesday December 17, 2013 16:18
Records from the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) indicate that the situation is far worse than it was last year around this time.
Gaborone dam has hit the lowest level it has ever reached since it was built in early 1960s, WUC corporate communications manager, Matida Mmipi confirms.
'This is first time in history that Gaborone dam is at 13 percent. In 2004 and 2005, it had gone down to 16 percent, but picked in 2006,' she said.
Last year at this time of the month, the dam was at 35.3 percent.
Nnywane dam, which dried up several months ago, has not received any inflow.
Bokaa dam, which had also dried, has however received little enough inflow to make 4.8 percent.
Last year at this time of the month, Nnywane dam was at 22.6 percent while Bokaa dam was at 39.7 percent.
In a week, Molatedi dam has dropped from 15.2 percent to 14.9 percent. The South African dam was much healthier with a 40 percent last December.
Meanwhile, dams in the northern part of the country have also not harvested much since the beginning of this rainy season. This is despite the region having received better rains since the beginning of the season.
From last week, Letsibogo dam has gone up with only one percent to make 60.6 percent.
Shashe dam has remained at 69 percent and Ntimbale at 72.8 percent.
Mmipi says that despite the worrisome situation, the corporation is doing its best to maintain a continuous supply. Water use restrictions, which conserve potable water for only remain effective she says.