Cape Town’s water-resource situation remains of crisis proportions, despite the city’s water-restrictions campaign entering its third month.
City of Cape Town councillor Saleem Mowzer, mayoral committee member responsible for water services, said on Friday the restrictions have been in place for two months and water users have had ample time to adjust to the new water regulations and watering times.
”The savings deficit confirms that as Capetonians we are not doing enough to save our precious water. Given the severe water crisis, greater levels of compliance by all water users are required to achieve the targeted 20% saving.”
He said the ability to make up the water-savings deficit will become progressively more difficult during the hot and dry summer period.
Failure to make up the deficit and achieve the targeted saving will increase the risk of having to impose equivalent or more severe water restrictions next summer.
Mowzer advised that there are no guarantees that the medium-term weather forecast will improve the situation.
He announced that the City of Cape Town will be intensifying measures to ensure that the targeted water savings are achieved through measures including heightened awareness, media campaigns and the education of all user groups.
Bolstering law enforcement — including the introduction of night patrols to clamp down on transgressors, especially those using irrigation systems — will form part of the campaign.
Mowzer said a spot fine of R1 000 approved by the Magistrate’s Court remains applicable to first-time offenders, while repeat offenders can be summoned and be liable for prosecution resulting in a fine of up to R10 000 or imprisonment for up to six months.
A free expo will be hosted on December 14 and 15 at the Cape Town Civic Centre to inform water users and businesses of water-saving devices available on the commercial market.
”We will continue to take complaints about council wastage of water very seriously and we will thoroughly investigate such complaints, to ensure that council continues to lead by example.”
Mowzer said garden watering times once a week should be stringently adhered to by all water users, as garden watering represents a significant volume of total water consumption in Cape Town.
”We appeal to all our citizens to partner with us in achieving our targeted water savings to overcome this crisis. All of us must do more to save our precious water, because we are running out.” — Sapa