MAIN DAM IMPOFU OVERFLOWING FOLLOWING HEAVY RAIN
Published: May 07, 2026<< BACK TO NEWS
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The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has turned the corner on the critical situation of low dam levels, as all dams servicing the City are now overflowing, including the Impofu Dam, the largest dam supplying Nelson Mandela Bay, with a capacity of approximately 107 000 megalitres. The Impofu Dam was last at full capacity in 2016.
These positive developments come in the midst of the widespread disruptions caused by the heavy rains experienced across the City over the past two days. Dam levels have significantly improved, increasing from 39% to 100% within two days, with close to one hundred thousand megalitres of rainfall recorded in the catchment areas.
The following dams are currently at full capacity (100%):
- Impofu Dam – 107 000 megalitres
- Kouga Dam – 128 000 megalitres
- Churchill Dam – 35 300 megalitres
- Groendal Dam – 13 700 megalitres
- Loerie Dam – 18 800 megalitres
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Councillor Babalwa Lobishe, said the full capacity of the dams is a huge relief to the residents and business community of Nelson Mandela Bay.
According to the Senior Director for Water and Sanitation, Barry Martin, the drought — despite occasional slight improvements, has been the longest in Nelson Mandela Bay’s history.
"The full capacity of dam levels comes as a huge relief. This also poses a challenge for us as the City to ensure that we work on our infrastructure to preserve this water and stretch it as much as possible for us to survive the dry winter season. Water security does not only improve the lives of residents, but it also boosts our investment promotion agenda,” said Lobishe.
On the matter of floods, Executive Mayor Lobishe has been visiting affected communities across the City to ensure that relief interventions are progressing smoothly. By this afternoon, more than a thousand residents had already been evacuated from flooded areas, predominantly low-lying informal settlements.
"The preliminary assessment we have made indicates damage to infrastructure such as roads and electricity. We have also seen our people leaving their homes, disrupting their normal lives. Working with stakeholders such as NGOs and churches, we will ensure they are provided with basic necessities while staying at community halls," said Executive Mayor Lobishe.
The Executive Mayor said Disaster Management teams are working around the clock to assist those affected by the heavy rains.
"As the rain continues and more areas remain flooded, we plead with residents to cooperate with disaster management officials on the ground so that we can limit injuries and avoid fatalities,” said Executive Mayor Lobishe.
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