Cape Town dams western cape

Theewaterskloof dam, August 2020 – Photo: Twitter

Cape Town dams LATEST: Water levels edge closer to 100% capacity

The capacity of dams supplying the Cape Town metro increased by another 1.9% in the last week bringing it one step closer to 100% full.

Cape Town dams western cape

Theewaterskloof dam, August 2020 – Photo: Twitter

Good news for Cape Town dams! The total capacity of dams supplying the Cape Town metro increased by 1.9% in the last week, from 95.6% the previous week to a stupendous 97.5%. Whether it will reach 100% capacity in the coming days, we don’t know but that’s most definitely what we’re hoping for.  

“Daily water consumption for the same period decreased to 705 million litres per day, compared to 732 million litres the week before. At the same time last year, dam levels were at 77.8%” the City of Cape Town said in a statement on Tuesday. 

CAN WATER TARIFFS BE LOWERED SINCE CAPE TOWN DAM LEVELS ARE INCREASING? 

As Cape Town dam levels have been increasing following substantial rainfall recently, some residents might be questioning whether water tariffs can be lowered. Here’s what the city had to say.

“It is important to keep in mind that the amount of water in our dams, which we share with several other municipalities, does not directly influence the cost of delivering the overall water and sanitation service,” the City said. 

CITY PROVIDES KEY POINTS ON TARIFF STRUCTURES 

The City of Cape Town said tariff structures can be tricky to understand, therefore, it highlighted a few key points below: 

  • The cost of providing the service remains largely the same regardless of how much or how little water flows through the system;
  • The service includes the treatment and scientific quality testing of water; operation, repairs and maintenance of infrastructure; and transport and treatment of wastewater;
  • The amount to be recovered to fund the service, however, depends on how much water is used by the customers;
  • Tariffs also need to include the cost of the New Water Programme (NWP), which aims to produce approximately 300 million litres (Ml) per day through groundwater abstraction, desalination and water re-use by 2030;
  • The NWP aims to build resilience to the effects of climate change, and future droughts, ensuring a safe, reliable water supply for generations to come;
  • The City does not budget for a profit from the sale of water and seeks to keep costs of service delivery as low as possible;
  • The water tariff is made up of a fixed part and a usage part. It is a model used by numerous municipalities all over the country and helps provide a reliable water service;
  • The fixed/variable tariff model helps stabilise revenue streams so that the impact of variations in consumption are reduced to the benefit of operations and maintenance programmes; 
  • If the fixed portion of the tariff model was removed, the usage part of the tariff will need to be increased significantly to compensate; and 
  • Residents who are registered as indigent do not pay the fixed part of the water tariff and receive a free allocation of water monthly.

More information about the City’s Water Strategy can be found here.

RESIDENTS STILL URGED TO USE WATER SPARINGLY

While Cape Town dams may reach 100% capacity soon, this does not mean we should forget about certain limitations.

“Although water restrictions were lifted from 1 November 2020 regulations in the City’s water by-laws are in effect at all times: This includes restrictions on the use of outdoor taps (barring residential properties), which must be secured to prevent unauthorised use. Alternative water sources like boreholes and wells should be used sparingly and efficiently.”