The City of Cape Town has launched a public campaign urging residents, businesses, and visitors to adopt water-saving habits as it anticipates a summer that will be longer, hotter, and drier than typical. According to AllAfrica, the initiative, named More Summer, is designed to sustain dam levels and ensure adequate water supplies until the next winter rainfall season begins. The call to action follows a recent increase in the city's water consumption, which reached 912 million litres per day. This figure exceeds the collective consumption target of 860 million litres per day by more than 52 million litres, a discrepancy that has prompted the municipal authorities to intensify their conservation efforts.
AllAfrica reported that current dam levels stand at 71.7%, a figure the city noted is on average 15% lower compared to the same period last year. The city stated that household usage must fall by a minimum of 10% during the upcoming summer and into the following winter. The final decision on formal restrictions for the Western Cape Water Supply System depends on the National Department of Water and Sanitation's annual operating assessment. Despite the potential for formal limits, the city emphasised that responsible water use remains critical because rainfall patterns remain unpredictable.
The campaign highlights that approximately 70% of high-volume water use occurs in households, making domestic practices central to the strategy. AllAfrica detailed ten specific methods residents can use to reduce consumption. These include flushing toilets only when necessary, taking shorter showers, and operating washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded. The city also advised residents to turn off taps while brushing teeth or shaving and to wash vehicles with buckets or controlled spray nozzles instead of continuous hose flow.
For gardening, the city recommends using water-efficient nozzles and limiting plant watering to no more than an hour, preferably before 9am or after 6pm to minimise evaporation. The guidance suggests directing water towards plant roots where possible. Pool owners are advised to cover swimming pools when not in use to reduce evaporation and to recycle backwash water or use rainwater for topping up. The city noted that permanent regulations in its Water By-law apply at all times, even without formal restrictions, helping users stay below the 860 million litres per day target.