Cape Town – With average dam levels in the city and province expected to continue to drop as a result of warmer weather and increased demand, the public has been urged to continue saving water and be water-and-fire-safe.
Average dam levels in the province stand at 55% and the city’s slightly better at about 67% to 68%, spokesperson for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell, James-Brent Styan said yesterday.
“We had better rainfall in the area of the city in 2018/2019.
"The 55% is the average for the whole province, which includes the Karoo, which is still extremely dry.
“That region sees an average dam level of less than 18%.
"It must be noted that over the last three or four years, the Karoo region has been relying largely on ground water pumped up by drills.”
The province had deployed six geohydrologists to monitor ground level water in the Karoo, as well as a full-time engineer to assist the Beaufort West region and its surrounds in looking after factors such as supplying systems and boreholes, Styan said.
“It must be very clear that the Karoo region is in a severe drought, but we have ensured that every community in the region is supplied with drinking water.
“We'd like to call on the public, especially in the worst affected areas, to use water sparingly and to please adhere to the water restrictions,” added Styan.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell made his water-saving and water-and-fire-safety call to the public last month.
“The warmer weather and increased demand over the coming months will be sure to affect the levels even further,” Bredell said.
Urging continued responsibility in water usage, he added: “Please be careful and keep a watchful eye at all times on young children who may be around open water areas, in order to avoid tragedy as far as possible.
“In addition, the risk of runaway wildfires in the Western Cape is still very high and we ask for everyone's help to prevent fires.
“Please use the number 112 to report any emergency that may come up.
"Our officials will be on hand to assist.”