The Western Cape Government has advised municipalities to introduce water restrictions ahead of this summer, as water storage declines and hotter, drier conditions are expected.

In a Local Government Circular, municipalities are advised to implement at least Level 1 water restrictions by 15 November, with Level 2 restrictions by 1 December in higher-risk water supply systems.

The Western Cape MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, says the provincial government is acting early to protect water security.

“This is a precautionary step. We are not in a province-wide water crisis, and the purpose of acting now is precisely to prevent us from reaching that point. We have learnt that it is far better to save water early, while we still have adequate reserves, than to wait until municipalities are forced to implement severe restrictions.”

As of 26 October, Western Cape dams were 79% full, compared with 80.5% at the same time last year.

The Cape Town water supply system was at 73.2%, down from 87.8% a year ago.

Bredell has urged residents and businesses to support municipalities by using water responsibly.

“Every litre we save now helps protect our water security later in the summer. We are asking everyone to play their part: use water wisely, fix leaks and avoid unnecessary consumption. Small changes across millions of water users can make a significant difference.”

The City of Cape Town has previously said residents would need to reduce their household water consumption by 10% this summer to avoid restrictions.