The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says it is “hopeful” that the Western Cape will receive more rain before the end of the current winter season, as they prepare to ramp up messaging and public campaigns to conserve water.
The Department held a media briefing at its Bellville regional office on Wednesday, 19 August, noting that collective dam levels for Cape Town are about 13% lower than this time last year.
The Cape Town Water Supply System (CTWSS) recorded a decline from 77.87% last week to 77.26% this week. In August 2025, dam levels stood at about 90% full on average.
Provincial Head Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa says that while they remain positive for more rain, there is no guarantee, especially as the South African Weather Service had previously indicated that winter rainfall in 2026 would be below average.
July 2026 already emerged as the driest July on record for parts of the south-western Western Cape, with August receiving precious little rain 19 days in.
Bila-Mupariwa says the May 2026 severe storms, which brought a cut-off low and plenty of rain, helped fill the dams, but this came at the expense of R10 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and critical losses to farmers.
She says the Department is closely monitoring the water system, and will not wait “until it’s too late” when dam levels are very low to implement water restrictions.
“We are hoping for more rain. You cannot say that ‘yes indeed, it’s going to rain’. We didn’t know there would be a cut- off low earlier this season. But it was a blessing. The cut-off low has saved us quite a bit. The SAWS has predicted below-average rainfall. We are monitoring the system very, very closely. As soon as we see there is a need to implement water restrictions, we will do so.”
In November, the DWS will meet and deliberate on the way forward, including whether broad water restrictions are needed. But Bila-Mupariwa has emphasised that individual Municipalities should implement water restrictions if the need arises at the local level.
Campaigns to raise awareness and educate on behavioural change and responsible water use will include an anti-vandalism campaign to protect water infrastructure and water-conservation messaging.
The City of Cape Town says it can no longer depend on rainfall, so they are actively funding and investing R570 million in our New Water Programme this financial year. This includes projects such as desalination, groundwater, reuse and clearing of water-thirsty alien invasive plants.
Leak detection and repair, pressure management, infrastructure replacement, improved metering and other water demand management interventions are also being prioritised.
The City says household water use has also stayed higher than expected during winter, dropping primarily when it rains. Officials have encouraged residents and businesses to continue using water wisely.
