Water usage in the City of Cape Town has surged by 6.7% in the last week, despite the dam levels barely showing an increase.
“Although there has been a slight increase in dam levels of 0.5% to an overall level of 21.4% because of some rainfall and lower evaporation rates, we need to continue to stretch the remaining water in our dams as we simply do not know how much rain we will receive over the winter months,” the City said in a statement.
Water consumption in the city rose to 554-million litres per day in the week ending 14 May. In the previous reading, residents consumed 519-million litres.
This week’s water consumption is almost 20% more than the daily usage target imposed by the National Department of Water and Sanitation, with total storage rising from 20.9% to 21.4%. This equates to a 104-million litres increase above the usage target of 450-million litres per day.
The water crisis has hit farming exports and property prices hard, and the Reserve Bank has said it might also affect lending funds to the agricultural sector as well.
Residents are urged to take 90-second showers, and to use 50 litres of water or less per day.
Graphics courtesy of the City of Cape Town
Picture: Pixabay