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Cape Town Cautions Too Early To Stop Saving Water

While South Africa’s Mother City, Cape Town, has seen an increase in dam levels, the city says it is too early to let up on water savings. As of Monday, Cape Town’s collective water usage over the past week was 520 million litres of water per day. Dam levels have again increased solidly by 6.3% […]

By SAPeople Contributor
19-06-18 13:39
in Business

While South Africa’s Mother City, Cape Town, has seen an increase in dam levels, the city says it is too early to let up on water savings.

Theewaterskloof Dam, June 2018. Photos by Jean Tresfon Photography.

As of Monday, Cape Town’s collective water usage over the past week was 520 million litres of water per day.

Dam levels have again increased solidly by 6.3% to a total of 38.1% of storage capacity, and this is the biggest single weekly increase this year.

Cape Town Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson said the good rainfall received over the past four weeks has increased the dams’ storage to the same levels they were at towards the end of winter of 2017.

Theewaterskloof Dam earlier this year. The difference is remarkable.

However, Neilson warned that it is too soon to know what supply level is needed in order to safely navigate the summer.

“It is therefore critical that we continue to keep our consumption low. The City of Cape Town urges all of its residents to keep on saving, even if it is raining. National government’s restrictions on abstractions from dams remains in effect.

“The innovation on water-saving consumption that we’ve seen from residents, businesses and local government has been quite phenomenal. We ask them to keep up with this effort until the dams reach assured levels of supply,” Neilson said.

Photo supplied by Stan Sanetra from local paper Cape Times this week, showing dam level increases since 2017

He said the city’s advanced pressure management roll-out continues to have a positive effect on water usage and is now saving on average 70 million litres a day.

He said the city will continue rolling out its advanced pressure management programme across the metro to ensure that consumption remains in the lowest ranges possible.

“An assessment of our overall water situation will be done at the end of the winter rainfall season to determine whether restrictions can be adjusted. At this stage, the new normal of enhanced water conservation remains business-as-usual, as we cannot predict what the rest of the winter season will bring,” Neilson said.

For all water-related information, residents can visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater and follow https://twitter.com/CityofCTAlerts for pressure management-related information specifically.

Residents are also urged to always check with their neighbours whether they too are experiencing low water pressure or intermittent supply disruptions, as this would in all likelihood be pressure-related.

If the problem persists for an unreasonable period of time, send an email to water@capetown.gov.za or call 0860 103 089, WhatsApp 063 407 3699 or SMS 31373 (max of 160 characters). Always insist on a reference number when logging a service request and keep the number on hand to expedite requests.

Source: SAnews.gov.za