Water usage has dropped below the 700 million litres per day target for the first time since the start of the dry season in Cape Town.
The situation regarding our water levels has been described as a ‘drought’ in recent times, with dam levels receding well below the summer norm. It’s also now public knowledge that the last 10% remaining has been deemed as ‘unusable’ – despite the City taking counter-measures in the form of green tech. Dam levels currently stand at 24.1% – effectively meaning that 14.1% remains drinkable. But there is a glimmer of hope.
Last week’s water usage dropped below the daily 700 million litre threshold, announced the City yesterday. A drop to 685 million daily litres was recorded – an astonishingly high figure still, but an improvement nonetheless. In March this year, mayor Patricia de Lille declared Cape Town a ‘disaster zone’ in the face of drought and further stated that the City would be reducing water pressure to decrease the flow of passing water through its system.
It’s unclear as to how effective the reduction in water pressure has been thus far, but a drop in 15 million daily litres is still commendable to all city residents – and hats off to especially those who have been taking further steps to save this precious resource.
Rain is in the forecast toward the end of April. Let’s hope that those cold fronts which come rolling in off the Atlantic bear us with plenty water.