Following requests from the City to lower current water restrictions, the National Department of Water and Sanitation has decided against relaxing the level 6B water restrictions.
The City proposed that a risk-based analysis be conducted to evaluate the current water situation, and also suggested that urban restrictions be relaxed from 45% to 40%. Another request was made for agricultural restrictions to be lifted from 60% to 50%.
Capetonians may possibly have to wait until the end of September before restrictions will be lifted as officials believe it is too soon to lift them now as some of the rainy season still lies ahead.
National Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, told IOL, “We still don’t know what will happen in the next few weeks in terms of rain, even though the water situation has improved slightly. Therefore, a decision was taken to wait until end September for a review of the situation.”
On the bright side, locals can look forward to a very rainy week ahead with forecasts predicting up to four days of rain this week. The Cape’s dams now hold an average of 65.3% water.
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