Cape Town to cut water quota even further from January 1

CAPETONIANS will have to reduce water use even more in the new year.

The City of Cape Town’s level 6 restrictions‚ which will come into force on January 1‚ will restrict residential households to 10 500 litres a month and compel non-residential customers to cut their water consumption by 45% compared with 2015.

The agricultural sector has been ordered to reduce water usage by 60%‚ sparking a warning yesterday from Agri-Western Cape spokesman Jeanne Boshoff that farmers would have to restrict themselves to higher-value crops.

“This has already resulted in less vegetables being planted in the Ceres area‚ and to fruit trees being cut back. This means smaller crops‚ which is putting the entire agricultural sector in the Western Cape under enormous pressure‚” she said.

Houses that used more than 10 500 litres of water a month would be “prioritised for enforcement”.

Mayor Patricia De Lille told a city council meeting yesterday a drought levy would be introduced in the new year.

The proposed charge‚ to be implemented from February 1 if it gets the go-ahead‚ is aimed at residents who own properties valued at more than R400 000 and commercial properties valued at more than R500 000.

A property valued at R600 000, for example, will be levied R35 a month and a commercial property valued at R500 000 could be charged R60.