Cape Town - The City of Cape Town on Tuesday decided to lift water restrictions in the city and to move to the lowest tariff, the no-restriction, water-wise tariff, from November 1.
Mayco member for Water and Waste Xanthea Limberg did, however, say that going forward the City would continue to implement cost-saving and water-wise plans and encourage Cape Town to continue to be water smart.
Limberg also explained what residents need to know about water tariffs:
- City water costs on average 4c per litre compared to R10 per litre for shop-bought bottled water.
- Based on the first 10 500 litres of water used, the average bill will be R411.99 on the no-restriction, water-wise tariff. This is compared to R785.38 under the Level 6B tariff at the peak of the drought.
- The City’s water tariff, like some other metros, includes usage and a fixed fee which covers the cost of providing water. This includes the maintenance of infrastructure and making sure Cape Town is resilient by adding new sources to its water supply and becoming a water-sensitive city.
- The cost of providing the service remains largely the same regardless of how much or little water is used, or how full the dams are.
- Residents who are registered as indigent do not pay the fixed fee and receive a free allocation of water monthly.
- The City does not budget for a profit from the sale of water, and seeks to keep the cost of service delivery as low as possible.
What residents need to know about the no-restriction, water-wise restriction level:
- The water restrictions are lifted under this level but permanent regulations as outlined in the Water By-law still apply, regardless of the restriction level, as Cape Town is situated in a water-scarce region.
- For more information about the no- restriction, water-wise restriction level and the permanent regulations that still apply, please visit:
More information about the City’s Water Strategy can be found here: http://www.capetown.gov.za/general/cape-town-water-strategy
Cape Argus