Capetonians have been asked to use water sparingly this month as the dam supplying much of their water is being worked on, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday.
The distribution of water will be limited until the end of the month as the Berg River Dam, which is near completion, is being connected via a tunnel to the province’s main supplier, the Theewaterskloof Dam.
The existing tunnel will be shut between July 12 and July 28. This means no water will flow from the Theewaterskloof Dam, which usually supplies 40% of the province’s water.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry cautioned the public to use water wisely, despite the rise in dam levels owing to recent rainfall.
The link between the two large dams would drastically increase the total volume of water in the Western Cape in the long run, said the department’s spokesperson Nandi Mgwadlamba.
Other dams in the Western Cape such as Steenbras and Voëlvlei will have to provide water for Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, the West Coast, Swartland and Riviersonderend.
Rashid Khan, district head of the department, said Voëlvlei, which is full, would have to provide most of the water. – Sapa