Cape Town Urges to Cut Water Use After Severe Weather Disrupts Supply System

The warning follows heavy storms and intense rainfall that affected raw water quality at several major dams supplying Cape Town’s water treatment facilities.

The City of Cape Town has appealed to residents and businesses to urgently reduce water consumption to essential use only after severe weather conditions disrupted key water treatment operations and placed increasing pressure on the city's bulk water supply system.

City officials said that although tap water remains safe to drink, residents are advised to boil water as a precaution if it appears discoloured and immediately report the issue to municipal authorities.

The warning follows heavy storms and intense rainfall that affected raw water quality at several major dams supplying Cape Town's water treatment facilities.

Severe Weather Impacts Water Treatment Operations

Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Dr Zahid Badroodien, said recent storms significantly deteriorated the quality of raw water entering the city's treatment plants, particularly from:

• Wemmershoek Dam

• Theewaterskloof Dam

"The current highly elevated turbidity and colour levels have reduced the normal production of drinking water at the city's Wemmershoek and Blackheath water treatment plants," Badroodien said.

Officials explained that heavy rainfall in mountainous catchment areas washed large volumes of:

• Mud

• Sediment

• Debris

into the dams feeding the treatment plants.

This has complicated the treatment process and reduced production capacity at key facilities.

Drinking Water Production Reduced

Although the affected treatment plants remain operational, the city confirmed that drinking water production volumes have been reduced while teams work to maintain required water quality standards.

The city also reported additional operational difficulties at the Voëlvlei Water Treatment Plant, where technical faults further disrupted water production.

Officials said these combined problems have reduced the total volume of treated drinking water available in bulk storage reservoirs across Cape Town.

The city warned that the situation could place increasing strain on the municipal water network if consumption is not reduced.

City Implements Emergency Stabilisation Measures

To stabilise the water system, the City of Cape Town has introduced several emergency operational measures.

These include:

• Optimising treatment processes

• Increasing chlorine dosing where necessary

• Managing elevated turbidity levels

• Boosting production efficiency

• Intensifying monitoring across the supply network

Officials said additional chlorine treatment is being used to help maintain water quality standards despite the high levels of turbidity caused by the storms.

The city stressed that all efforts are focused on ensuring continued compliance with South African National Standard (SANS) 241 drinking water quality regulations.

Water Quality Monitoring Intensified

The Water and Sanitation Directorate has intensified monitoring and sampling throughout the water distribution system to ensure the safety of drinking water supplied to residents.

The city said Water Pollution Control inspectors are actively investigating reports of discoloured water and collecting samples for laboratory testing where required.

Officials emphasised that precautionary measures are being implemented to protect public health while water treatment operations continue under difficult conditions.

Residents Asked to Boil Discoloured Water

While authorities confirmed that municipal water remains safe to drink, residents were advised to take precautionary measures if water appears discoloured.

The city recommended:

• Boiling discoloured water before use

• Reporting water quality issues immediately

• Avoiding consumption of visibly affected water without treatment

Officials said discolouration may result from elevated sediment levels entering the system following the storms.

Public Asked to Reduce Non-Essential Water Use

Dr Badroodien urged residents and businesses to cooperate with conservation efforts to help stabilise the city's water system.

"While teams are working around the clock to stabilise operations and recover reservoir levels, it is critical that we work together to maintain stable supply across the network," he said.

The city specifically requested the public to avoid non-essential water use, including:

• Irrigation and garden watering

• Filling swimming pools

• Excessive outdoor cleaning

• Unnecessary washing activities

until water treatment operations and reservoir levels recover.

Officials said reducing demand will help maintain stable supply across the municipal network while treatment plants continue operating under constrained conditions.

Severe Weather Places Additional Pressure on Infrastructure

The City of Cape Town noted that recent severe weather conditions have directly affected several important components of the bulk water supply infrastructure.

Heavy rainfall and storm activity have increased pressure on:

• Water treatment systems

• Reservoir management

• Raw water quality control

• Operational maintenance systems

The city said municipal teams are continuing to work around the clock to restore full operational capacity and recover storage levels.

Multiple Channels Available for Reporting Problems

Residents have been encouraged to report incidents of discoloured water or related water supply concerns through the city's available communication channels.

Reports can be submitted through:

• WhatsApp: 060 018 1505

• Telephone: 0860 103 089

• Online: www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequest

• Email: water@capetown.gov.za

• SMS: 31373

• City walk-in centres

Officials said rapid reporting helps inspection teams respond more efficiently and monitor affected areas.

City Thanks Public for Cooperation

The City of Cape Town thanked residents and businesses for their cooperation and patience while emergency response efforts continue.

Officials stressed that public support and responsible water use will be critical in helping the city maintain stable supply levels until weather conditions improve and treatment operations fully recover.

The city said updates would continue to be provided as efforts progress to manage the temporary impact of the adverse weather conditions.