Province’s dams drop to an alarming level
WITH Day Zero being cancelled for 2018, the Western Cape’s dam levels have reached an alarming 20%.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell has called on the public to continue driving water usage down in the coming months.
“Saving water remains crucial because we cannot rely on winter rainfall. At this stage, the water situation in our 30 municipalities is relatively stable thanks to continued interventions, as well as a concerted effort to save water by citizens and business,” he said.
“However, the agriculture sector remains a major concern for us in the provincial government. We will continue to step up and provide support to this important sector, which is bearing the brunt of the drought.”
DA leader Mmusi Maimane announced last week that Day Zero had been staved off, provided there was sufficient rainfall and that Cape Town water users continued saving water.
City of Cape Town deputy mayor Ian Neilson said that should there be no rain this winter season, Day Zero could happen on August 27.
Day Zero is the day when the province’s dam levels reach 13.5%. In this scenario, the taps for almost all homes will be turned off, but essential service providers such as hospitals will receive water.
Bredell cautioned that complacency in saving water, and another dry winter, could lead to further water constraints in the summer.
“From a disaster-management point of view, we are now starting to plan and prepare for next season, when we may see similar water constraints, especially if we don’t get the rainfall we need in this coming winter.
“We need to retain as much water in storage as possible as we go into the summer of 2018/19,” he said.
Richard Dyanti, ANC spokesperson on local government, said the DA had failed to communicate effectively with Cape Town residents on the water situation. “They failed dismally with communication to the Cape Town residents. It was one of the most basic issues that they had to deal with. There have been so many problems with this Day Zero, which in my opinion was never real.
“We have seen how they are politicising this issue by bringing in their political leader Mmusi Maimane, someone who has no official position in the Western Cape.”