Water Outlook 2018 Summary released by City of Cape Town
Recent water consumption rates have continued to exceeded the City’s target of 500 million litres of water per day, and current dam levels stand at 28.7%. Water levels are dropping at a rate of 1% each week. At current consumption rates, Day Zero has been scheduled to take place within the next 15 weeks. Water saving efforts must improve and current consumption rates must decrease in order for Day Zero to be averted.
The 2018 Water Outlook Summary contains the City’s newly proposed measures for 2018 under consideration for implementation to maintain water supplies. These include:
- Introducing punitive tariffs from 1st February 2018 to target water abusers
- Further implementation of demand management devices and flow restrictors
- Severe pressure management that may disrupt water supply
In addition, the Summary emphasizes the need for the Agricultural sector to reduce their current water consumption rates, with particular focus on those not adhering to the existing restrictions.
The financial implications associated with the drought and the City’s proposed mechanisms in dealing with these financial challenges are also featured within the Summary.
The document can be found here with a summary presentation also available.
Information provided by GreenCape.