CoCT dam levels 19% lower than last year

The City of Cape Town has once again urged residents to cut back on water usage as dam levels are now 19% lower than they were at this time last year.

Cape Town’s dam storage levels currently stand at 57.2%.

The Mayoral Committee (MAYCO) Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said that while water usage has dropped this week compared to the last, it was still 56 million litres a day over the target set to manage supply.

Badroodien said the current supply must last until the next seasonal rainfall cycle, noting that winter rains are expected much later than usual this year.

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"Once again, we've seen a decrease in our dam volumes that supply the City of Cape Town. This obviously remains a concern for us that water usage remains well above our allocation from the National Department of Water and Sanitation," Badroodien said.

The city has urged residents to use less water to avoid breaching the limits implemented to manage supply.

"Especially in our homes, where we're using about 70% of our water allocation at the moment," he said.

Badroodien said that while there's no immediate cause for concern, Cape Town's water supply should not be taken for granted.