Cape Town water use spikes as dam levels drop to 42.5%

Cape Town’s water consumption is rising despite pleas for residents to use less and the city warned again on Tuesday that tougher water restrictions are on the cards.

The latest consumption analysis shows that the city used up to 890 million litres of water per day during the week that ended on January 15.

This is 90 million litres a day above targeted savings to prevent dam levels dipping dangerously low. Dam levels are currently at 42.5%.

“If current consumption continues‚ the City expects that dam levels could be at a level of approximately 20% by the start of winter. This leaves a very low margin of safety as it is difficult to extract the last 10% of a dam’s volume‚”

said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements‚ Water and Waste Services‚ Councillor Xanthea Limberg.

“We do not expect to run out of water before the next rainy season but constant water usage above the target of 800 million litres per day of collective use‚ as has been the case‚ is not sustainable.”

Subject to council approval‚ more stringent restrictions on the use of potable water for watering gardens could be implemented. Properties using an excess amount of water are also being identified by the city.

The city said that formal residential consumers consumed approximately 70% of total water supplied – half of which was used for less essential purposes such as watering gardens‚ washing cars and filling pools.

 “Water supplied to informal settlements‚ for firefighting‚ and to tourists does not come close to this figure. Bearing this in mind‚ our water security going forward will largely rest on whether or not residential customers can do what’s necessary to save water‚” said Limberg.