Cape Town urges residents to save water as dam levels drop to 53.7%
The City of Cape Town is urging residents to save water as dam levels have fallen below 55% within the metro.
The City said that while it is technically not in a state of drought, water usage over the next three months remains vital as the region heads into an unpredictable winter. With dam levels now at 53.7%, officials said they will closely monitor all dam levels.
Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, has urged residents to continue to save water.
“Cape Town is not in a drought; however, the window to avoid water restrictions later this year is narrowing. Based on the current water usage trend, dam storage could drop as low as 40% by May if this year’s rainfall is average. Cape Town is in an early warning phase that reflects lower-than-expected dam levels and signals the need for continued careful use of water, even though taps are running normally,” Badroodien said.
While there is no immediate threat to supply, Badroodien said the system is entering a more sensitive period ahead of the winter rainfall.
Over the past week, water usage has started to drop, reaching 1,012 million litres of water per day (MLD) from 1,073 MLD last week. However, water-saving remains necessary as consumption remains 37 MLD over the target. Badroodien said Cape Town’s dam storage levels currently stand at 53.7%. This will need to last until the next seasonal rainfall cycle.
Badroodien also thanked residents, as the water-saving measures implemented by residents are reflected on the dashboard this week.
“For the first time in weeks, the water usage has dropped closer to the 1,000 MLD mark.
“About 70% of all water used in the city is used in homes, so we all have a part to play in getting us all below the target of 975 MLD that has been set to help us collectively manage our supply until winter. Let’s keep saving to see the usage drop,” Badroodien said.
“With dam levels being 17% lower compared to last year, and unpredictable rainfall, we have to use water responsibly and be water-wise at all times, especially now,” Badroodien added.
City of Cape Town’s tips for water-saving measures:
- Find and fix water leaks on your property: If dripping taps, leaking toilets, and faulty plumbing go undetected and ignored for a long time, a lot of water is wasted.
- Monitor your own usage and make the effort to save water: Only water the garden at night to prevent evaporation and avoid topping up swimming pools or pool inflatables unnecessarily.
- Switch to treated effluent reuse for industrial irrigation or construction: The City promotes and supplies treated effluent to large water users such as industry, sports clubs, golf clubs, large new developments, and schools.
- Report burst municipal pipes immediately to the City through formal channels.
There are various ways to report a leak or a pipe burst:
- Call: 086 010 3089 (select option 2)
- SMS: 31373
- WhatsApp: 060 018 1505
- Email: [email protected]
When reporting any leak or pipe burst, the City of Cape Town urges residents to provide an exact location or address and insist on receiving a reference number.
IOL
