Cape Town officials are urging residents, businesses and visitors to cut back on water use immediately, after recent consumption spikes pushed dam levels well below last year’s mark for the same period.
According to the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, water demand surged during recent hot days, contributing to dam levels now sitting 19% lower than at this time last year (City).
While the City has stressed that taps are not at risk of running dry at present, officials warn that sustained high usage could quickly change the outlook as summer continues.
At the heart of the concern is how much water is being used daily across the metro. The City has set a collective target of less than 975 million litres per day (MLD), but recent figures show consumption consistently exceeding that level.
Data from the City’s weekly water dashboard shows average daily consumption trending higher through December and early January:
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10 December 2025: 1 029 MLD
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15 December 2025: 1 029 MLD
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22 December 2025: 1 039 MLD
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29 December 2025: 1 010 MLD
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5 January 2026: 1 048 MLD
At the same time, dam storage across the system currently stands at 69.1%, which will need to carry the city through to the next seasonal rainfall cycle.
Lower rainfall over the past year has reduced inflows into dams, placing added pressure on supply. City officials say the combination of hot weather and elevated consumption makes the coming months critical for water management.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, said immediate changes in behaviour are essential to avoid tougher measures later.
‘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.’
He added that acting early remains the most effective approach.
‘Early proactive measures are far more effective than emergency restrictions. We need to be water-wise at all times.’
The City notes that around 70% of Cape Town’s water is used in homes, making household behaviour central to reducing overall demand. Residents are encouraged to fix leaking taps and toilets, monitor their usage closely and limit outdoor water use.
Officials also recommend watering gardens at night to reduce evaporation and avoiding unnecessary topping up of swimming pools or inflatables.
Residents are urged to report burst municipal pipes as soon as possible through official channels, including the City’s call centre, SMS line, WhatsApp service or email. When reporting faults, the City advises providing an exact location and requesting a reference number.
Councillor Badroodien said the City is continuing to address infrastructure challenges by repairing leaks, upgrading ageing pipes and improving pressure management across the network. Since the drought, investment has also been directed towards strengthening metering and reducing water losses.
Looking ahead, the City is progressing with long-term supply planning to reduce reliance on rain-fed dams.
‘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.’
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