Call for Water Saving as Cape Town Dam Levels drop further! City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is urging all residents, businesses and visitors to immediately reduce water consumption. Usage has spiked once again over recent hot days, resulting in dam levels dropping 19% below what was available at the same time last year.
This may raise concerns about water security in the months ahead should usage not reduce as quickly as possible this summer.
Lower annual rainfall resulted in reduced inflows to dams, placing increased pressure on the City’s water supply system. While taps are not at risk of running dry at this stage, continued high water use could rapidly change the situation and result in restrictions unless consumption is brought down urgently.
Recent trends published in the City’s weekly water dashboard show excessive average daily water use by Capetonians as a collective, well above the target of less than 975 million litres per day (MLD):
• 10 December 2025 – 1 029 MLD • 15 December 2025 – 1029 MLD • 22 December 2025 – 1039 MLD • 29 December 2025 – 1010 MLD • 5 January 2026 – 1048 MLD
The City’s dam storage levels currently stand at 69,1%, which will need to sustain water supply until the next seasonal rainfall cycle.
‘This is a critical moment for us, where we must reduce the unnecessary litres of water used in our homes, in industrial and agricultural processes and at work. We can’t afford to be complacent any longer and we must closely keep track of consumption indicators on a weekly basis.
‘Early proactive measures are far more effective than emergency restrictions. We need to be water-wise at all times,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Key tips to keep water usage down:
• Find and fix water leaks on your property. If dripping taps, leaking toilets and faulty plumbing go undetected and ignored for a long time, a lot of water is wasted.
• Monitor your own usage and make the effort to save water. About 70% of all water used in the city is used in homes, which is why saving water at home is so critical. Only water the garden at night to prevent evaporation and avoid topping up swimming pools or pool inflatables unnecessarily.
• Report burst municipal pipes immediately to the City through formal channels. There are various ways to report a leak or a pipe burst:
Call 086 010 3089 (select option 2) SMS 31373 WhatsApp 063 407 3699 Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please provide an exact location or address and always insist on a reference number.
Switch to treated effluent re-use for industrial irrigation or construction purposes. The City promotes and supplies treated effluent to large water users such as industry, sports clubs, golf clubs, large new developments and schools.
‘All of us have a part to play in reducing our water usage now. The City is busy with various actions, including consistently resolving reported pipe bursts and water leaks within the shortest timeframe. Since the drought, the City has and continues to invest in upgrading aged water pipes, improving pressure management, fixing leaks faster and strengthening metering along the water supply network.
‘The City is also actively progressing with strategic plans for Cape Town’s new water supply to build our water secure future. In the long term, to reduce dependency on rain-fed dams, the City is scheduled to proactively add new water sources, such as desalination and water reuse to our supply from 2031,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Call for Water Saving - be water wise to preserve available resources until the next winter rain cycle, especially when using water outdoors in the garden and to top up swimming pools
WHAT: Call for Water Saving
WHERE: City of Cape Town
WHEN: NOW
INFO: For additional resources and more water saving tips visit | See also Cape Town Green Map - Think Water | See aslo MapMyWay
PHOTO: Archive photograph of Molteno Reservoir
