The City of Cape Town has urged all water users to reduce their water usage and not to increase consumption last week due to the unseasonably hot, dry weather.

Despite rainfall, dam storage levels were at 29.4% last week, with useable water at 19.4%.

The city warned that consumption remained far too high, exacerbated by the warmer weather and associated evaporation. Consumption was at 632 million litres of collective use per day – 132 million litres above the target of 500 million litres. This target has been carefully worked out to ensure that reserves are built up during winter to carry the city through to the next winter season.

“To ensure that we build the necessary reserves by conserving water while we still have it, we are carrying on with intense pressure reduction to lower water use, as well as carrying out dedicated enforcement efforts across the metro. We are also carrying on with our efforts to forcibly restrict excessive water usage,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.

“We are in an unprecedented situation. This drought is far more severe and protracted than anyone foresaw and rainfall probability remains uncertain.

“While we have made great saving efforts and reduced consumption drastically, we need to see how we can save further.”

Water supplied by the city remains safe to drink and is tested in accordance with the most rigorous safety standards.