10/12/2015
Subject: Mayoral Committee approves proposed water restrictions
Date: 4 December 2015
The City’s Mayoral Committee (Mayco) approved the implementation of Level 2 water restrictions in Cape Town on Tuesday, 1 December 2015. This item will now go before Council for deliberation at the next meeting on 10 December 2015.
As we are situated in a water-scarce region, the City imposes Level 1 restrictions (10% water savings) at all times. Because the City’s dam levels are approximately 15% lower than the norm for this time of year, it was proposed that the City implement Level 2 restrictions (20% savings) to preserve the long-term sustainability of the resource.
Customers should note that if this item is passed by Council, they will be charged according to a tariff designed to be revenue-neutral. In other words, if the customer reduces their consumption by 10%, their bill should remain at a similar rand value. Please note that indigent customers’ free allocation will not be affected, nor will the free allocation of the first 6 kl a month for all residents be affected.
For example, if a resident normally uses 24 Kl of water every month at a cost of R294,62, and they reduce consumption by 10%, they will continue to receive a bill for a similar amount. However, if implementation of the Level 2 tariff is passed by Council, 24 kl will cost them R344,75.
For an average domestic customer, the differences in price are as follows:
Steps Unit Level 1 (10% reduction) Level 2 (20% reduction)
Step 1 (0 < 6 kl) Per kl R0 R0
Step 2 (>6 < 10,5 kl) Per kl R11,07 R11,66
Step 3 (>10,5 < 20 kl) Per kl R15,87 R18,24
Step 4 (>20 < 35 kl) Per kl R23,51 R29,75
Step 5 (>35 < 50 kl) Per kl R29,03 R45,40
Step 6 (>50 kl) Per kl R38,30 R85,09
If a customer is on the Domestic cluster tariff (flats/complexes supplied by a single meter), the Commercial tariff, the Backyarder tariff, the Industrial tariff, or any of the other specialised tariffs, this table shows how the change applies.
Furthermore, if passed by Council, residents will have to abide by the following, more stringent regulations:
• No watering (e.g. using buckets) of a garden, sports field, or other grassed area using potable water between 09:00 and 16:00. Facilities and customers making use of boreholes or other alternative sources are not exempt
• No watering (e.g. using buckets) will be permitted within 24 hours of rainfall that provides adequate saturation. Facilities and customers making use of boreholes or other alternative sources are not exempt
• Irrigation (e.g. hose pipe or sprinklers) is only to take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during approved hours, and for no longer than an hour in total. Facilities and customers making use of boreholes or other alternative sources are not exempt
• If alternative water sources are utilised, customers should ensure that they display signage to this effect clearly visible from a public thoroughfare
• Where a hosepipe is used for irrigation, it must have a controlling device attached at the end
• No washing or hosing down of hard-surfaced or paved areas with potable (drinking water from tap) water
• A hosepipe used for washing vehicles must be fitted with an automatic self-closing device
• Automatic top-up systems for swimming pools and garden ponds are not allowed. Furthermore, the use of a pool cover is recommended
• Commercial car-wash industries must comply with industry best practice norms. Informal car washes must use buckets rather than hosepipes
• Wash basins in public facilities must be fitted with demand-type taps
• Showers provided at public facilities must be fitted with demand-type valves
• Potable water may not be used to dampen sand or other building material to prevent these materials from being blown away
• Standpipe draw-off taps must be of a height of at least 450 mm, measured from ground level
• The maximum flow rate from any tap installed at a hand basin may not exceed 6 litres per minute
• The maximum flow rate of any shower head may not exceed 10 litres per minute
• Water closet cisterns may not exceed 9,5 litres in capacity
• Automatic flushing cisterns or tipping tanks shall not be used for flushing a urinal
• All automatic flushing cisterns fitted to urinals must be replaced with manually operated systems, or non-manual apparatus that only flushes after each use
• Terminal water fittings (taps and outlets) installed outside any buildings, other than residential buildings, must incorporate a self-closing device; or have a removable handle for operating purposes; or be capable of being locked to prevent unauthorised use; or be of a demand type that limits water use for each operation
• Water audits must be undertaken annually by major water users (i.e. consumption of more than 10 000 kl a month), but excluding where these are multiple dwelling units
• No person may allow water, used as a heat-exchange medium in any equipment or plant and supplied from a water installation, to run continuously to waste except for maintaining a prescribed level of total dissolved solids in a recirculating plant
• Ornamental water features may only be operated if the water is recycled
Residents who wish to apply for an exemption can apply to the City’s Director: Water Services by contacting [email protected]
The City thanks residents for their cooperation.
Peter Flower
Director: Water & Sanitation Services
