As of yesterday, 20 February, dam levels have dropped to 34,5%, which is 1,7% down from a week ago. With the last 10% of a dam’s water not being useable, dam levels are effectively at 24,5%.

Consumption remains too high
The latest consumption is 801 million litres of collective use per day. This is 101 million litres above the latest lowered water consumption target of 700 million litres per day.

129 Days
A spokesperson for the City of Cape Town said yesterday that  “we could be looking at approximately 129 days of useable water left” if water consumption remains  at the current draw-down rate, and with dam levels at an effective 24,5%.

Measures
* The City has warned that the names of those residents or businesses which are issued with fines will henceforth be made public.

‘The City will consider further drastically lowering water pressure to a larger extent. We are currently expanding the existing pressure-reducing programme. This programme entails maintaining constant supply where we have the infrastructure to do so, but it may result in intermittent supply in the higher areas of the supply zone.

* Consumption patterns and dam levels over the coming weeks will determine how the pressure reduction programme will be rolled out further.

* The City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, and the City’s Executive Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson, are continuing a regime of personally calling businesses, hotels and government departments unannounced to check up on their water use.

Mayor De Lille and area-based mayoral committee members have started personally engaging with some of the high water users who have been identified through their water accounts and January 2017 consumption. A month-on-month comparison will be made on the water usage, which will inform further action.

Residents can contact the City via email to water.restrictions@capetown.gov.za for queries or to report contraventions (evidence should be provided to assist the City’s enforcement efforts) or they can send an SMS to 31373.

For further information, residents should please visit the water restrictions page on the City’s website: www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater