113 days of useable water left.

The City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, declared a local disaster in terms of Section 55 of the Disaster Management Act on Friday.

113 Days of useable water
As of today, 6 March 2017, dam levels have dropped to 31,5%, which is 1,6% down from a week ago. With the last 10% of a dam’s water mostly not being useable, dam levels are effectively at approximately 21,5%. At the current draw-down rate of the dams, we are looking at approximately 113 days of useable water left. According to a statement released by the City today, the local disaster was declared “to ensure that the City of Cape Town is prepared for all eventualities.”

This declaration, which is valid for a period of three months, but can be extended on a month-to-month basis by notice in the Gazette, enables the City to “invoke emergency procurement procedures if required to expedite the emergency and accelerated water resource schemes.”

Water use being monitored
Consumption has broken through the 800 million litre barrier for the first time to 783 million litres of collective use per day, but we have still not achieved the new collective usage target of 700 million litres per day.
‘The City is continuing its monitoring and engagement with the top 20 000 consumers across residential, business, industrial and government properties to ensure that they bring their consumption down.

‘Those who have not played an active saving role must do so immediately by ensuring that their homes are water-efficient, that they fix their leaks – both above ground and underground – and that they continue to implement no- to low-cost water-saving techniques,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.

For queries and reports of contraventions email the City at water.restrictions@capetown.gov.za (reports of contraventions should be accompanied by evidence); or SMS  31373.

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