Anton Bredell, the Western Cape MEC for local government, environmental affairs and development planning, has reiterated his call for municipalities across the province to conserve water. The province’s average combined dam level is currently 50.4%, down from 51.3% last week and lower than the 55.8% recorded in 2022.
Also read: City officials concerned over water usage and dropping dam levels
According to IOL, Bredell made this statement earlier this week at the Stellenbosch Ratepayers Association.
‘Our provincial dam levels are hovering at 50%, and we do not know how much rain we will receive this coming winter. Please save water now, so we do not have to take drastic measures next year,’ he said.
The provincial government recently released its 15-year Integrated Water Resilience and Drought Plan, which included low and high growth scenarios and examined each municipality in the Western Cape.
It then computes water demand for various populations as well as economic growth projections.
The plan also revealed that the greater Cape Metro region and surrounding Cape Winelands and West Coast N7 corridors would generate the majority of new water demand, with growth pressures in the Southern Cape in and around George and Plettenberg Bay.
According to Bredell, the annual growth in new water demand for Stellenbosch could be as high as 4.5%, with Drakenstein and Swartland following closely behind at 4%.
However, Bredell said with behavioural changes, if businesses implemented initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, reusing water and greywater usage where appropriate, the new water demand could be kept between 2.3% and 2.7% for Stellenbosch.
‘We need to plan and budget for this growth in demand,’ said Bredell. ‘But we also have to develop a water-saving mindset that must become a permanent part of our relationship with water.’
He went on to say that the current high levels of rolling blackouts have a direct impact on water distribution and wastewater management because you can’t run pumps without electricity, and the province’s water supply, water purification, water distribution and wastewater management systems all rely on electrical pumps.
‘If you can save water, you are also helping us alleviate the pressure on these water systems,’ Bredell added.
The Western Cape government, according to Bredell, has transferred R89 million from contingency funds to municipalities for the purchase of backup generators for water systems.
Also read:
Cape Town urged to continue water-saving amidst ongoing shortages
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