The Western Cape continues to experience the worst drought since 1904, and dam levels are dropping every week. Today, Monday 18 December, the City of Cape Town revealed the water level’s has decreased by 1% since last week’s reading, and now sits at 33%. They posted this information graphic on their website:
Last week, the City announced that consumption had increased to dangerous levels. From an average of 611-million litres per day during the first week of December, consumption was up to an average of 628-million litres per day last week. This puts residents more at risk of reaching Day Zero much sooner. Currently the City’s augmentation projects are sitting at 50% completion. The City has also urged residents to drastically reduce its consumption. Day Zero will arrive when dam levels sit at 13.5%. Residents will then have to collect water daily from around 200 collection sites across the City.
Last week, we reported that the City had urged the Agricultural sector to reduce its water consumption by 60%. They also announced earlier this month it intends to implement level 6 water restriction and implement a water levy for residents from January 1. 2018. Just this week they put forward a proposal to impose 6 months jail time to repeat water-wastage offenders.
Picture: Pixabay
