https://www.miningweekly.com

Receive our free daily newsletter:

Vaal Dam

Vaal Dam is a major water-storage reservoir on the Vaal River in South Africa, located approximately 80 km south of Johannesburg. The dam was constructed between 1934 and 1938 and is one of the largest dams in the country, with a capacity of about 2 603-million cubic metres when full. It serves as a critical water source for Gauteng province, supplying municipalities including Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni through bulk water utilities such as Rand Water. The reservoir also provides water for industrial users, including power generation by Eskom and steel production by ArcelorMittal. Water from Vaal Dam is treated at facilities including Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant and Vereeniging Water Treatment Plant before distribution. The dam wall stands 59 m high and stretches 762 m across the Vaal River, creating a surface area of approximately 320 square kilometres. Vaal Dam is managed by the Department of Water and Sanitation and plays a strategic role in South Africa's integrated water-resource system. The reservoir's levels are closely monitored, particularly during drought periods, as they directly affect water security for the economic heartland of Gauteng. Beyond its utility function, Vaal Dam supports recreational activities and local tourism around its shoreline.

Vaal Dam News


Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo
Water is not endless, let’s protect this precious resource
10th April 2026

By Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo  Water is life. It really is that simple, yet it is something we often take for granted. Every person, every animal, every plant on this planet depends on... 


Collaborative approach needed to solve South Africa’s water challenges
Collaborative approach needed to solve South Africa’s water challenges
12th March 2026 By: Natasha Odendaal

South Africa cannot take the same path to resolve its water challenges as it did with the energy sector during the period of loadshedding, as the structure of the water sector is fundamentally... 


Magazine Cover
New Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II assurances following setbacks
19th September 2025 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

The second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is achieving “rapid progress”, despite running into considerable delays, challenges and cost increases, with notable milestones having... 


Maintenance on LHWP tunnel completed
6th June 2025 By: Natasha Odendaal

The seven-month maintenance work on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel has been successfully completed, with water once again flowing from Lesotho into South Africa. The process of... 


Magazine cover image
From nearly empty six months ago, Vaal dam brims after heavy rains
23rd May 2025 By: Natasha Odendaal

In less than six months, the water storage level of South Africa’s Vaal dam surged from less than 30% capacity in December to overflowing, prompting the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to... 


Magazine Cover Image
Gauteng water crisis won’t be solved without infrastructure and demand interventions
6th December 2024 By: Natasha Odendaal

Gauteng, South Africa’s most populous province and economic hub, eagerly anticipates a significant inflow of additional water in 2028 from the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project... 


Repair work starts on Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel
29th November 2024 By: Natasha Odendaal

Progress is being made on the maintenance and repair of the Lesotho Highlands water tunnel, which was shut down more than a month ago to undertake the critical work that will ensure the... 


1

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

➕

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION

➕

➕







pqt: 0.05s - ct: 0.096s - 173pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now