City of Cape Town to close tap on water wasters

Cape Town – Cape Town’s top 20 000 water users will be put under pressure to reduce consumption as the levels of dams supplying the city continue to drop, the city said on Monday.

High users would face punitive measures like fines or water restriction devices if they did not cut their use by 20%, it said in a statement.

Dam levels in the Western Cape had fallen below 40%, local government MEC Anton Bredell said.

Most of these users were households in formal residential areas and using 50 kilolitres per month. 

Prior to the imposition of water restrictions, the average use per household in the city was about 1 000 litres a day, or 30 kilolitres a month.

“This gives one an idea of the severity of the use of water among these high users,” the city said. 

Capetonians were using 80 million litres of water per day more than what was required to ensure sufficient supply until the next rainy season.

The city planned to increase door-to-door visits, issue fines, install water restriction devices on properties with high water usage, and focus on education and awareness.

The average dam levels in the province’s catchment areas are currently: Berg River 46.8%, Breede River 38.2%, Gouritz River 25.8%, Olifants/Doorn River 54.2%. 

Municipalities were implementing additional measures, including restrictions and tariff increases, Bredell said.