The Gauteng Water Security Dashboard shows that overall water consumption across Gauteng has decreased, however, the levels remain above the water use efficiency targets in all metropolitans except Ekurhuleni.

According to the dashboard, which is published weekly, the City of Ekurhuleni used 994-million litres a day of water, 28-million litres below its water use efficiency target of 1 022-million and a reduction on the 1 048-million litres a day monthly average reported in the February edition of the dashboard.

Water consumption in the City of Johannesburg also reduced from a monthly average of 1 708-million litres a day, as reported in February, to 1 676-million litres in the first week of March, however, the metropolitan still remained 320-million litres above its water use efficiency target.

During the same period, consumption in the City of Tshwane was 855-million litres a day, 131-million litres over its target and an increase from the 796-million litres a day monthly average achieved during February.

Emfuleni, meanwhile, used 308-million litres, which, while a decrease from the monthly average of 316-million litres in February, was still 69-million litres above its water use efficiency target.

Overall demand across the three metropolitans and Emfuleni, which collectively constitute 90% of the water supply, was 485-million litres, or 15%, above target.

Meanwhile, the overall storage of the four main strategic Rand Water reservoirs, namely Palmiet, Mapleton, Eikenhof and Zwartkopjies, increased to 42.2% in the first week of March, compared with the February monthly average of 38.8%.

Palmiet’s storage for the week under review was 48%, Mapleton 55%, Eikenhof 32% and Zwartkopjes 33%.

The overall target reservoir storage level is 60%.