The Western Cape will head into the festive season and the new hydrological year without provincial water restrictions, despite steadily declining dam levels and rising pressure on several towns along the Garden Route.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) made the announcement on Monday following the province’s Annual Operating Analysis earlier this month, as per News24.
Speaking on behalf of the department, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa confirmed that ‘no water restrictions will be implemented for the hydrological year 2025/26,’ a decision shaped by system-wide modelling and current storage trends.
The department’s latest hydrological update indicates overall storage dropping to 68.70%, down from 71.22% the previous week.
This marks a sharper dip than the same time last year, when levels stood at 62% heading into the summer period.
Officials warn that the decline could place additional strain on popular coastal destinations such as George, Knysna, and Bitou, where holiday traffic traditionally pushes consumption sharply upward.
Beaufort West remains one of the province’s highest-risk municipalities, with the Gamka Dam now sitting below 25%, while Swellendam is facing what authorities describe as water security issues ‘at a notable rate’.
Although provincial-wide restrictions are off the table for now, several municipalities have opted to introduce their own controls in response to rising consumption.
These include Beaufort West, Langeberg, and George, each implementing measures tailored to their local supply pressures.
Municipal leaders say these steps are meant to preserve dwindling reserves and avoid more drastic interventions should the hot, dry season persist longer than predicted.
DWS notes that the broader Western Cape Water Supply System remains vulnerable to weather unpredictability and infrastructure loss.
Officials point to prolonged dry spells, changing rainfall behaviours, heavier storm events, and inefficient usage patterns as ongoing threats.
The department has again reminded residents that no water may be taken from rivers, dams, or groundwater sources without proper authorisation under the National Water Act.
Users who are authorised to extract water are legally required to install and maintain accurate measuring devices under Government Notice No. 41381.
‘We are calling on all water users, particularly high-end consumers, to use water responsibly,’ Bila-Mupariwa said.
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Picture: Getty Images
