Cape Town drips drop as higher water prices hit home

Capetonians finally seem to be getting the message about turning off the taps.

In the week ending on Monday‚ the city’s average water consumption was 835 million litres a day‚ down from 864 million litres the previous week and the lowest since level-three water restrictions were introduced in November.

The City of Cape Town target if the city is to survive the summer without a water crisis is 800 million litres a day. Dam levels on Monday were down to 48.1%‚ compared with 49.7% a week earlier and 57.5% at the same time last year.

The rain that drenched the city last Friday‚ when 22.5mm fell in Newlands‚ has had little effect on dam levels because relatively little fell in the major catchment areas. According to the city council‚ only 3mm fell in the catchment area of the metro’s largest dam‚ Theewaterskloof. Rainfall there for the month to date is only 3.7mm‚ compared with a long-term average for December of 20.5mm.

Increased water tariffs came into force on December 1‚ and mayoral committee member for utility services Ernest Sonnenberg said too many people were still using hosepipes.

The restrictions are clear – hosepipes are not allowed‚ except when borehole or well-point water‚ spring water‚ rain-harvested or grey water is being used‚" Sonnenberg said in a statement. "It also concerns me that so many people continue to feign ignorance when this issue has been communicated over and over." - TMG Digital/The Times