Cape Town - As the drought tightens its grip on the Western Cape, the City of Cape Town has issued a stern warning reminding residents that selling tap water, or any water from a municipal supply, is in contravention of the City's by-laws.
"The resale of unmodified municipal water without prior permission from the City of Cape Town’s Director: Water and Waste Services is prohibited and no permission for applications will be granted during this drought period," mayoral committee member for water and sanitation; and waste services Xanthea Limberg.
"The use and selling of modified municipal water whether through filtration, ozone, carbonation and related methods, bottled or not, where the end product remains water, is hereby also prohibited during this period.
"It should be noted that this prohibition excludes sodas and flavoured water (with additives), ice teas and related drinks but the Level 6B reduction in consumption of 45% for all non-residential use still applies. This restriction does not apply to water from alternative sources, e.g. springs."
Regulations around groundwater and surface water remained the domain of the national department of water and sanitation, she said.
"The City would like to remind residents that the National Department of Water and Sanitation has emphasised that water from private boreholes is not meant for sale and that commercial and industrial entities must still seek the necessary authorisation from the department to sell surface and groundwater.
"Businesses that are selling groundwater and/or surface water must declare the source and display proof of authorisation from NDWS on any vehicle/transportation mode and retail outlet dispensing such water.
"Furthermore, we want to emphasise that all non-residential toilet facilities including office blocks and public facilities must retrofit their toilets with water efficient fittings, change the conventional urinals to waterless ones and shut off water to most hand basins and provide sanitisers for hand washing. The City has a tender in place to retrofit our own facilities and this is currently being rolled out," Limberg said.
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