• From Saturday 1 December 2018, water restrictions and the associated tariffs will be lowered from Level 5 to Level 3 recovery restrictions, which includes increasing the daily usage from 70 litres per person per day to 105 litres per person per day; or from 500 million litres to 650 million litres of collective usage per day
• Tariffs will also be lowered to Level 3. If for example residents use less than 6 000 litres per month (Step 1) they can expect to pay 35,5% less
• This decision follows on from the National Department of Water and Sanitation’s latest water assessment
• Restrictions remain on a fairly strict recovery level as a precaution to deal with rainfall uncertainty in 2019 and 2020
• We encourage Cape Town’s water ambassadors to maintain their water-wise approach during the recovery phase and as the metro moves towards becoming a more water-sensitive city in the near future
• The 40% restriction on water usage applicable to businesses has been removed but the sector is strongly encouraged to continue implementing and investigating the further efficient use of water in their operations

The City of Cape Town’s water users can expect a considerable reduction in the cost of water to be reflected in their municipal invoices from next month. This is due to the lowering of water restrictions from Level 5 to Level 3 recovery restrictions from Saturday 1 December 2018.

The City views 2019 as a recovery year after having successfully emerged from the unprecedented drought.

This decision to lower restrictions comes after a meeting between the National Department of Water and Sanitation and the water users of the Western Cape Water Supply System, namely the agricultural sector, Western Cape Government, municipalities and the Cape Town metro regarding the water assessment for the year ahead.

Based on National Government’s assessment of the hydrological year, a saving of between 10% and 20% for urban water users has been proposed. However, the City has decided to implement a more cautious 30% saving to help with the recovery of the dams and to cater for the uncertainty that exists around rainfall volumes and frequency in 2019.

‘I want to thank all the residents, officials, and visitors to Cape Town who played their part in helping us get through one of the worst droughts this city has ever seen. While the drought is not yet over, we have seen that there is room to bring some relief to our residents. I know it has been tough and I hope that this reduction in tariffs will bring some comfort over the festive season. We will still need to be water-wise though, as we do not know what the next rainy season holds.

‘We are no longer in a period of extreme scarcity, but it does not mean that we should forego some of the great water-wise ways that we have made a part of our daily lives – and for which we have become world famous. We are situated in a water-scarce region and the water-wise efforts and ways to diversify and augment our water supply should and will continue.

‘If one looks at international drought experience, water restrictions are either implemented too late or lifted too early. Hence our decision to take a conservative approach to the recovery while we continue to monitor the situation,’ said the City’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg added: ‘We see 2019 as a recovery year after having successfully emerged from the severe and unprecedented drought. Based on our own assessment, we are following a conservative approach in the light of rainfall uncertainty over the coming two years. These Level 3 recovery restrictions are also a measure to help support the great change we have seen in the relationship that we have with water while, at the same time, providing some financial relief to residents and businesses. This is not only a period of recovery for our dams, but also for our economy as a whole as well as for our residents and businesses who truly made huge sacrifices to help us get Cape Town through the drought.’

Due to the extreme economic and rural hardship that has been suffered as a result of the drought, the agricultural sector will only reduce water usage by 10% as it too enters a period of recovery. The City fully supports this move as the agricultural sector also supported the City as an urban water user during the height of the drought.

Please see the following links for information on:

• Level 3 restriction guidelines: http://bit.do/L3-guide
• Level 3 water and sanitation tariffs: http://bit.do/L3-tariffs
• Level 3 overview: http://bit.do/L3-overview
• Level 3 FAQs: http://bit.do/L3-faqs

DMI Guideline Series – A5 flyer

Full information (content of the booklets) can be downloaded from the following link :

http://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/City-publications/publications-and-reports/building-planning-and-development

Tidying, de-weeding, removing of graffiti and more 

In Tygervalley, the Cleaning and Maintenance team of the TVID makes a visible difference in a number of ways that certainly bring about a positive change and improvement.

Amongst other things, the team deployed to cut the branches of trees hanging over into the street and the sidewalk, where it had become difficult for pedestrians to walk and for cars to see the traffic lights on the corner of Durban Roadand Bill Bezuidenhout Street.  

Some of the other tasks they performed, were the following: 

• On 24 February 2018 they were deployed to cut the grass and to de-weed at Sportica Street. 

• On 6 March the team were deployed to remove all graffiti in the area. 

• On 8 March they were tasked with repairing the paving in Carl Cronje Street close to Santam and at BP Garage in Durban Road.  

Working hand in hand with the City of Cape Town, the TVID Maintenance Team cleaned the drains in preparation for the rainy season during winter.  

On 16 and 26 March 2018 the City of Cape Town’s Cleansing Department replaced 9 green bins on Edward Street with new ones, as well as replacing the inners and strapping the green bins in the area. 

Also during the course of March the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Signal Maintenance Department installed new cables for traffic lights on the corner of Willie Van Schoor Street and Bloemhoff Street (see accompanying photographs). 

Illegal Dumping 

One of the most unpleasant tasks for the TVID Cleaning and Maintenance Team is when they are deployed to pick up illegal dumping, especially if is as messy as depicted by the photographs taken at the back of Spar in Willie Van Schoor Street. 

Although all hands involved with the various tasks to improve Tygervalley are willing and busy, Manager Clifford Oostendorp says it is a pleasure to present Dave Blackbeard as one of the best workers in the TVID team. 

He says Dave is always on time. “We start at 08:30, but when I arrive at the office at 07:00 in the morning, Dave is here already getting the bags and all that they are going to use for the day.” He says Dave is the one always filling in the TVID cleaning report, keeping the place clean and willingly going the extra mile. 

On 29 March 2018 at about 18:00 Dave was robbed at the ATM whilst drawing money. He was hit on the shoulder with a stick, all his clothes were taken, as well as his cell phone, bank card, his ID document and the money he had drawn. 

Mr Oostendorp says the reason for telling this story is because notwithstanding the fact that Dave still lives at a shelter in Bellville and had no money to buy food or clothes to wear for the whole Easter weekend, and without his employers knowing anything about what had happened to him, he still came in on the 3rd of March 2018: “There was Dave, ready for work, in pain, still hungry and still wearing the same clothes. I gave him a copy of his ID and asked him if he wanted to go and sort out his matters and go to the doctor, but he said no, he wants to work. 

Dave, you are an example to all of us!  

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

20 MARCH 2018

STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S EXECUTIVE DEPUTY MAYOR, ALDERMAN IAN NEILSON

Let’s keep our water-saving focus, Team Cape Town

As at Monday 19 March 2018, our collective consumption over the past week was 565 million litres of water per day. Unfortunately, usage has increased by 54 million litres per day from last week’s record low of 511 million litres per day. Nevertheless, we are confident that our water users will again shatter water use records in the weeks ahead. Read more below:

Our dam levels have shown only a slight decline of 0,3% to 22,7% . This is the lowest decline in dam levels this year to date. This can likely be attributed to somewhat lower evaporation rates and small amounts of rainfall, especially in the Steenbras Dam area.

We will continue to monitor the water usage trend to see whether the increase in consumption is a once-off occurrence or whether there is another underlying reason that would need to be addressed.

Level 6B water restrictions are still in place. Water pressure reduction remains in place, water management devices continue to be installed on the connections of high water users and the bills based on 6B tariffs are reaching consumers. It is essential that we all continue to save water.

All water users are reminded that the City is still required by the National Government to reduce water usage to 450 million litres per day in order to stretch the available water supplies through the rest of the year. This equates to a reduction of 45% from normal usage. We are currently hovering at just below a 40% reduction. A sustained collective push is now required to reduce consumption by just 5% in order to achieve our target.

We will continue to drive our initiatives to reduce water consumption. This will include advanced pressure management, the installation of water management devices at the properties of high water users and proactively implementing advanced water restrictions and associated tariffs to encourage behaviour change.

If all Capetonians join us by keeping their consumption down to 50 litres of water a day, or less, we will avoid having to take more drastic actions.

Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater for all water-related information, including Level 6B restrictions and FAQs about Day Zero as well as tips to lower usage even further.