City of Cape Town urges residents to reduce water consumptions as dams lower to pre-drought levels

As damn levels continue to fall to pre-drought levels, Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has urged residents and businesses to reduce their water consumption. He encourages everyone in the city to “unite behind the City’s proactive water savings target of using less than 850 million litres daily.”

The city’s damn levels are currently at 62%, almost 25% lower than it was at the same time last year.
Besides the risk of a dry rainy season, power cuts due to prolonged stages of load shedding can also disrupt drinking water production and reticulation, affecting residents in high-lying areas.

“Cape Town’s dams are still above 50%, but our models show that dam levels will drop below 50% by the end of summer if we don’t meet this proactive water savings target. This may increase the need for water restrictions down the line, which we would ideally want to avoid,” says Mayor Hill-Lewis.

“Capetonians can help by reducing outdoor water use, such as watering gardens, filling or topping up pools, and following the permanent water use regulations. Together we can achieve a water-wise Cape Town,” says Councillor Siseko Mbandezi, Acting Member of Mayoral Committee for Water and Sanitation.

 

Done by: Thaakiera Ackerdien