Cape Town - The prolonged winter rainfall that has continued beyond Spring Day has helped recharge the dams supplying the City of Cape Town and the greater Western Cape.
City of Cape Town dam levels have increased by 4 percentage points to 74%, while the Western Cape's supply dams are up to 64%.
Last year, at this time, the levels across the province were at just 35%.
The average water consumption for the past week is up slightly from 505 million litres per day to 511 million litres per day, the City of Cape Town said.
"The City of Cape Town urges its water users to continue to heed the call to conserve water over the next few months as the City monitors the water situation going into summer," the city said in a statement.
"Water restrictions and tariffs will be lowered from Level 6 to Level 5 from 1 October 2018 due to the encouraging dam recovery and the ongoing conservation efforts by Capetonians. These reductions are premised on the expectation that water users will continue to use water sparingly so that overall usage remains in the current 500 million litre per day bracket."
MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape Anton Bredell said late winter rainfall and early spring rainfall continues to increase dam levels.
"The Theewaterskloof dam now stands at 56% full. Towards the end of April this year, the dam was below 10% and rapidly emptying," he said.
"In total, the levels for the dams feeding the City of Cape Town, currently stands at an average of 74% (2017: 37%)."
Bredell said the Karoo region remains under pressure with average dam levels at 20%.
"The Gouritz River catchment area has seen slight improvement but we need good rains in the coming summer period in this area. The region which includes Beaufort West and Oudtshoorn, tends to be a summer rainfall region."
Bredell said consumers across the province should continue using water sparingly.
"In some areas restrictions are being lessened and this may lead to people being less water cautious. I want to urge consumers to continue being water efficient and to make the efficiency changes in water use permanent," Bredell said.
Major Dam statistics
Theewaterskloof dam – 56% full this week (2017: 28%. Last week: 52%)
Voëlvlei dam – 92% full this week (2017: 27%. Last week: 83%)
Bergriver Dam 99% full this week (2017: 45%. Last week: 97%).
Clanwilliam Dam 100%. (2017: 41%. Last week: 99%)
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