Cape Town, you’re in serious water trouble
Things are bad, you guys.
If you live in Cape Town (or you’re friends a Capetonian on social media), you probably know things have been unseasonably hot. Easter usually marks the start of the rainy season, but aside from a few splutters here and there… it’s not happened.
The forecast isn’t looking like it’ll bring much relief until next week either.
Dam levels are now at 23,3% (storage levels), which is 0,9% down from a week ago. With the last 10% of a dam’s water mostly not being useable, dam levels are effectively at 13,3%.
As a result, the City of Cape Town has lowered the target for collective water use per day by 100 million litres, to 600 million litres.
Latest consumption levels show that average is around 745 million litres, which is 45 million litres over the previous target of 700 million litres.
With it being so hot, people are obviously using more water, but according to the city, strangely also “when there is rain” – go figure!
At the moment, the City asks that residents stop using municipal water for all outside use and that those who are able to do so invest in greywater and rainwater harvesting, among others, for all non-potable uses.
It is equally important to remember that even if it starts raining you can’t just go around all willy nilly splashing around in the tub. Filling up the dams to reasonable levels will take some serious rainfall. Be considerate and save where you can!
“Residents must please reduce water for personal use immediately to below 100 litres per person per day. At the current consumption rate, 88 days of water remain.
“We thank the many residents who have played a great role in supporting us, but now we all need to up our game. Those who use more will continue to be heavily penalised but we do not want more money from higher tariffs: residents must use less water,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.
