CAPE TOWN, The government of South Africa’s Western Cape Province has appealed to residents to continue to push hard to save water as dam levels dropped to 20 per cent of their capacity.

The Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape government, Anton Bredell said Monday: In the remaining period before our expected rainfall season, we must do what we can to use even less water.

“To date, consumers have been very co-operative and responded well to our calls to save water. But an even bigger effort is needed to ensure we don’t run out altogether.

Bredell said his department was meeting with all stakeholders, including the national government, on a regular basis to assess the ongoing situation and to devise strategies to tackle water shortages in the longer term. Our disaster management team in the province also remains on alert, he added.

Bredell cautioned the public to continue to use water sparingly, even when it does start to rain. We must ensure that dam levels recover, so when it starts to rain, consumers should not revert to using water wastefully, Bredell added.

According to the National Department of Water and Sanitation, the water level of the Cape Town System of Dams, which consist of the Wemmershoek, Voelvlei, Steenbras Upper and Lower, Theewaterskloof and Berg River dams, had this week dropped to 21.7 per cent, compared with 22.28 per cent the previous week.

During the same period last year, the Cape Town System Dam levels had stood at 31.71 per cent.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK