Water restrictions may be imposed in the Western Cape ”sooner rather than later” as dam levels in the region remain worryingly low, said the regional director of the Western Cape Department of Water Affairs and Forestry on Tuesday.
”The restrictions at this point in time are looking inevitable,” said Rashid Khan.
He said there were two main reasons for imposing the restrictions. For one, dam levels are currently much lower than desired, being 15% lower than last year’s levels at the same time. Those levels were were already lower than average.
The low dam levels are compounded by the fact that the rain forecast is not favourable either, with the current dry spell set to continue.
Khan said consultations have been taking place between his department and the two main bulk consumers of water in the region — local municipalities and irrigation farmers.
He said the restriction order will only be issued once Water Affairs National Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has approved them.
According to Khan, they are looking at introducing the restrictions ”sooner rather than later” with restrictions possibly coming into effect even before November, the start of the summer season.
Khan cautiously predicted a water restriction of between 10% and 15% being imposed.
Meanwhile, City of Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for water, Saleem Mowzer, said the city will need to pass a by-law to implement the restrictions.
Mowzer said a highly visible campaign to reduce water consumption will have to be implemented, with public notices being placed in prominent shopping centres and at schools.
”We will target all users, primarily households, but also industry and other large water users like farmers,” said Mowzer.
He said that previous water restrictions, imposed during 2000/01, led to a 10% saving on water consumption in the Cape metropolitan area alone.
The Cape metropole has approximately 3,2-million water users.
Mowzer admitted that policing and monitoring of the restrictions could prove difficult, but added that people need to shoulder some responsibility and become part of the social contract.
The five interconnected dams supplying the majority of water in the Western Cape — Steenbras upper and lower, Theewaterskloof, Voëlvlei and Wemmershoek — are all well below capacity. — Sapa