The Western Cape Environmental Affairs Department says the average water level for dams across the province, has increased to 31%.

This is still significantly lower compared to this time of last year when the combined dam levels was 58%.

Following last week’s rain, the average dam level of the six major dams supplying water to the Cape Metro, has shown a nearly 1.5% increase.

August is the last traditional month of rain in winter. Department spokesperson James-Brent Styan says the drought is severe.

“We see that the biggest dams in the province remain very low, the Clanwilliam dam currently at 33% last year with Clanwilliam dam was at this stage of the year was 97%. It just gives you an indication of the severity of the drought that has taken the entire province. We remain optimistic and urge residents to use water sparingly as possible to ensure that dam levels recover during the remainder of our rainfall season.”