WATCH: Hidden vaults harness Cape Town water

The availability of water in Cape Town is still a concern for the municipality, but TimesLIVE partnered with a vlogger to explore the springs around the city and discovered that undergroud water is so abundant it simply bubbles to the surface.

In the second of three parts, Adam Spires travels to Homestead Park in Cape Town’s city bowl, unearthing old man-made water vaults established as far back as 1686.

One of the city’s original harnessed springs, Main Spring Vault, was renovated two years ago from its original 1813 structure as part of a heritage project. It is one of Cape Town’s two perennial springs.

In the park, one can see five springs, some going as far down as 5m and, according to Spires in the video, gushing out about 28 litres a second.

TimesLIVE reported on the use of the springs earlier this year as the city explored solutions to its looming water crisis.

Mayoral committee member Xanthea Limberg said the city council was preparing a licence application to make further use of springs and streams.

"In most cases, springs have not been considered to supplement drinking water supply because the expense of enabling the city to treat this water would not justify the small yield," said Limberg.

Limberg said as well as 2.8-million litres a day from the Albion spring in Newlands, the Oranjezicht spring supplied water to irrigate the Cape Town Stadium precinct and Company's Garden.

This is a three-part series in collaboration with Adam Spires, a "wannabe vlogger" living in Cape Town. Have a look at his Facebook page here.