The City Activates Water Rationing
Phase 1 of critical water shortages disaster plan activated: water rationing
Water rationing has been implemented to stretch the water supply in our dams and to avoid a full-scale disaster.
It will lead to intermittent supply disruptions, likely during peak water consumption hours in the morning and evening but won’t result in a complete shutdown. Service will be restored as quickly as possible.
- Keep up to 5 litres of water for essential use only.
- Please do not store excessive municipal water.
- Definitive timetables of the outages cannot be provided as water systems must be managed flexibly to avoid damage to critical infrastructure.
- When you experience loss of water supply and before contacting our call centre, check your neighbor’s supply first to see whether it is likely a case of rationing.
- Those in multistorey buildings must ensure that the supply system (booster pumps and roof-top storage) is in working order in compliance with the Water By-law (2010).
- The City is not liable for the impact of or damage to private infrastructure resulting from the rationing or associated operations.
- Please ensure that all taps are closed when not in use to prevent damage/flooding when the supply is restored. Ensure that you take the necessary steps, such as speaking to your insurer if possible, to mitigate potential damage and for fire prevention.
- Critical services such as clinics and hospitals will be largely uneffected.
Water management devices are being installed city-wide to limit excessive consumption.
Further restriction levels and usage targets will be announced as necessary to drive down consumption to a safe level.
The limit of 87 litres per person per day wherever you are remains.
Phases of the critical water shortages disaster plan
Phase 1: Activated: water rationing through extreme pressure reduction and limiting supply
Phase 2: Disaster restrictions (water collection points)
Phase 3: Full-scale disaster implementation (extreme rationing at distribution points)
Cape Town is situated in a water-scarce region. Climatic unpredictability, such as this protracted drought, must be seen as the New Normal which affects all aspects of our lives. In Cape Town, the Western Cape, and many other parts of South Africa, this severe drought continues.
Visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater and the City’s Facebook page for useful information, including information on the Water By-law.