The City of Cape Town is ramping up its water-saving campaign to help reduce usage in the drought-stricken city.

Cape Town MMCs have this week been engaging with the public in different areas, with the focus on raising awareness for the need to build water reserves during the winter months, especially in light of the harsh summer that is expected. This means continuing to reduce water usage even though the weather is cooler and wetter.

“Our dam levels remain critically lower than usual during the start of the winter and we don’t know when we’ll get rainfall or how much rain will fall. We are worried that our water users will start to relax their efforts and use more water because it is winter,” said Councillor Anda Ntsodo.

“We have had many enquiries from members of the public asking us whether we are now out of the woods and whether water restrictions have been removed. We are therefore using all of our resources to spread the word that we must continue to save water while we have it, come rain or shine,” Ntsodo added.

The city’s Water Resilience Task Team has been set up to boost its response to drought, to ensure that acute water shortages are avoided, and to transform Cape Town’s water landscape into one that ultimately relies less on rainwater.

“The city continues with all of its planned and proactive interventions, such as pressure reduction programmes and emergency work, as well as taking tough action on those who contravene the existing Level 4 restrictions,” the city said