Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said that at the last update, the level of the dams which service the City were sitting at 55% full, which is 19% lower than the same time last year.
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The City says the next 90 days are going to be critical in terms of trying to conserve as much surface water as possible, in order to try and hold off a need for water restrictions.
This comes as the Stellenbosch Municipality has taken steps to implement Level 2 Water Restrictions as a precautionary measure.
At a council meeting on Wednesday, the municipality addressed the need for precautionary water measures.
“Following consideration of current dam levels, weather patterns and projected supply, Council approved the implementation of Level 2 Water Restrictions in terms of the Municipality’s Water Services By-law, 2017.
“This decision is in line with advice and proposals from the provincial government, as well as similar precautionary measures already introduced by several neighbouring and nearby municipalities,” the municipality said.
“It is a proactive step aimed at safeguarding our shared water resources and ensuring long-term security of supply.
“Although dam levels and the persistently dry conditions across the region are cause for concern - particularly given the pressures being experienced elsewhere in the province - there is no need for panic.
“There is no immediate risk of taps running dry, nor is there an impending crisis. The implementation of Level 2 restrictions is a responsible and measured intervention to manage demand early and avoid more severe measures later,” the municipality said.
Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said that at the last update, the level of the dams which service the City were sitting at 55% full, which is 19% lower than the same time last year.
He added that while there is no immediate threat to supply, the system is entering a more sensitive period ahead of winter rainfall.
“On top of that, we anticipate that the rains will begin later in the year than what we used to, and the volumes may be lower as well.
“We've now been very transparent with the city, to say that the next 90 days are going to be critical for us, in terms of trying to conserve as much of our surface water as possible, in order to try and keep as far back a need for restrictions, at this time,” Badroodien said.
“If our water usage behaviour doesn't change, it may be that restrictions are introduced even earlier. The most crucial intervention for us as a city is to reduce water usage now, by making small adjustments within our own.”
Badroodien said that there were a number of reasons why the City found itself in the current situation, including that dams didn't fill up to capacity during the last rain period.
“We also had really hot and still have very hot weather, and that usually means people use more water. In addition to that, obviously a very busy festive period."
Badroodien said the City’s current approach is to act early, based on risk, rather than wait for crisis conditions. The Drought Management Framework flags when behaviour change can still make a meaningful difference.
“Water restrictions are not a punishment. They are a tool to protect the supply when risk becomes too high to ignore. The projections show that early, moderate demand management now can help avoid more severe restrictions later, when there is far less room to manoeuvre,” he said.
Cape Times