Vaal dam
NSRI rescues donkey stranded on island on Vaal Dam
Rescue officials sprang into action after being alerted on Sunday and managed to rope in local vets who were soon at the scene.
The dam, which is Gauteng's main water supply, has been shrinking week-on-week and now sits just under 28% after a series of heatwaves.
It is understood that a boat carrying seven people capsized on the river near Spider Valley on Saturday.
However, the Vaal Dam in Gauteng has hit a new low, with levels sitting at just under 34%. The same downward trend can be seen at dams across KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the North West.
The department said the Vaal Dam levels have been declining since April and no rainfall yet is exacerbating the situation.
In a statement on Thursday, the department said dam levels dropped from 37.6 % last week to 37.0% in this week.
The Water and Sanitation Department has called on citizens to use water sparingly and report leakages or burst pipes.
The Vaal Dam dipped to even lower levels from last week's 43.4% to its current 42.6% mark.
The Water and Sanitation Department is calling on customers to save as much water as possible.
The Water and Sanitation Department said that it was concerned about the Vaal, which formed part of the integrated Vaal River system.
The Department of Water and Sanitation said it was concerned about the Vaal and other dams, which form part of the Integrated Vaal River System.
The level is now hovering around 49.8% which is significantly lower compared to 71.5% that was recorded this time last year.
DWS spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said recent rains were a step in the right direction amid fears of water scarcity in Gauteng.
The department said after weeks of water levels declining drastically, the dam reached a positive 48.4% showing signs of improvement in its catchment areas.
The DWS said the dam started to show signs of recovery after water levels declined drastically over the past few months.
Images shared on social media show the Hartbeespoort Dam gushing downstream.
A few weeks ago, there were concerns after the Vaal Dam, which provides water for most of Gauteng and neighbouring provinces, slipped below 40%.
Government warned that for the first time in six years, the country would not meet water demands.
The Department of Water and Sanitation on Monday said the Integrated Vaal River System had dropped to just below 60% while the Vaal Dam was just below 45%.