Cape Town dam levels at 88% after more rain

Cape Town dam levels reached 88% this week following downpours that brought a 4% increase to the province’s dams since last week.

City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for water and waste Xanthea Limberg said dam levels were up from 81.7% at the same time last year.

Besides the good rains, she also attributed the figures to water-saving on the part of the city’s residents. She said residents' consumption has been more than halved since the drought took hold of the southern and western parts of the country in 2015.

Consumption has gone up by 19 million litres per day in the past week to 661 million litres per day average.

“The downpours of the previous weeks have created a welcome boost to our dams levels. This further recovery of dams is very encouraging, but it is important to note that current capacity is not a result of rainfall alone, but also the sustained reduction in water consumption,” said Limberg.

“We thank our residents for their continued adherence to water restrictions, as this collective effort by Capetonians is playing a significant role in our dams being this full. We ask that residents who are calling for restrictions to be lifted completely, please keep this important factor in mind.”

She said a decision on restriction levels for the 2020/21 hydrological year would be taken upon review of the rainy season, which ends on October 31.

This decision would be taken in consultation with the national department of water and sanitation and users of the Western Cape water supply system, and would take into account all the factors associated with the projected sustainability of resource.

Cape Town water restrictions are currently on level 1, the lowest level.

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