Cape Town Water Usage Surpasses Targets Amid New Summer Conservation Campaign

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — Cape Town water usage has exceeded collective municipal targets, prompting the City of Cape Town to urge residents, businesses, and visitors to use water sparingly ahead of a longer, hotter, and drier summer.

Through the “More Summer” campaign, City of Cape Town officials are encouraging water-wise practices in households and businesses. The initiative aims to sustain dam levels and ensure sufficient water supplies until the next winter rainfall season.

The call for conservation follows a recent surge in daily water consumption to 912 million litres (MLD). This figure exceeds the collective consumption target of 860 MLD by more than 52 MLD. Additionally, current dam levels stand at 71.7%, which is an average of 15% lower compared to the same time last year.

“Current city estimates are that consumption needs to drop by at least 10% at a household level in Cape Town throughout the upcoming summer season and into winter next year,” the City of Cape Town stated on Wednesday.

According to municipal consumption statistics, approximately 70% of high-volume water use occurs in domestic households, making residential water-saving practices particularly critical. The City of Cape Town noted that the outcome of the National Department of Water and Sanitation’s annual operating assessment will determine whether formal water restrictions will be imposed on users of the Western Cape Water Supply System.

Despite the pending assessment, the City of Cape Town emphasized that responsible water use remains essential even in the absence of official restrictions, citing unpredictable rainfall patterns.

“Summer is loading, and there’s no need for water savings to dampen the holiday vibes because using less water doesn’t mean less fun,” the City of Cape Town said.

To assist the public, the municipality outlined ten specific methods for residents to reduce consumption this summer. These include flushing toilets only when necessary, taking shorter showers, running washing machines and dishwashers only with full loads, and turning off taps when brushing teeth or shaving.

For outdoor activities, the City of Cape Town advised residents to use buckets or controlled spray nozzles when washing vehicles, rather than leaving hosepipes running. Gardening should be managed by using water-efficient nozzles, limiting watering to no more than one hour, and watering only before 9:00 am or after 6:00 pm to minimize evaporation. Where possible, water should be directed specifically toward plant roots.

The campaign also encourages the public to manage water use during children’s summer activities and when cooling down in hot weather, while strictly avoiding the unnecessary spraying of water. Pool owners were advised to cover swimming pools when not in use to reduce evaporation, recycle backwash water, and utilize rainwater or alternative water sources for topping up where possible.

Finally, the City of Cape Town reminded the public that permanent regulations regarding water use are established in the municipal Water By-law. These regulations remain in place at all times, even when there are no formal water restrictions, and adherence is necessary to help keep collective usage below the 860 MLD target.