Cape Town residents can breathe easy this summer as there will be no water restrictions during the coming months.
The announcement comes after many people questioned why the City didn’t put water limits in place before the busy December holidays whilst there was severe pressure on water supply.
Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, this week told TygerBurger that the decision isn’t actually made by Cape Town’s city council. Instead, the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has the power to decide when water restrictions are needed.
Last November, government experts took a close look at the city’s water situation and concluded that Cape Town has enough water to get through the 2025/2026 hydrological year without any restrictions, says Badroodien.
While there is no immediate reason for concern around Cape Town’s dam levels, everyone needs to manage their water use over the coming months to ensure that we will not need to implement water restrictions in future.
This decision was based on a detailed analysis that weighed several important factors. Officials examined how full the dams are right now compared to the same time last year, looked at current rainfall patterns, and calculated how much water people typically use during the hot summer months when demand peaks. After crunching all the numbers, DWS gave Cape Town the green light to continue without restrictions.
ALSO READ: City urges action as Cape Town dam levels continue to fall
Stay water-wise
Looking ahead to the new year, no restrictions are planned for these months either. However, residents are reminded that permanent water by-law regulations do apply and are compulsory even when water restrictions have not been implemented.
“While there is no immediate reason for concern around Cape Town’s dam levels, everyone needs to please manage their water use over the coming months to ensure that we will not need to implement water restrictions in future. Water restrictions are the last option and done to conserve water, but the likelihood of implementing them can be prevented if we all use water wisely,” says Badroodien.
“The City is monitoring the water use and dam levels very closely, and decisions will depend on this coming winter’s rainfall. Restrictions will only be considered if there is a high likelihood that the dam levels will fall below 80% on 1 November 2026. We need to reiterate that early proactive measures are far more effective than emergency restrictions. He concludes by saying the City’s daily usage target of less than 975 million litres per day was determined to mitigate the risk associated with below-average or unpredictable rainfall during 2026, whilst also maintaining a reliable water supply.
“We are encouraging residents to use water wisely and help keep within these parameters to prevent the need for water restrictions.”
Current state of Western Cape dams in Cape Town vacinity:
Cape Town System Dams: 65.90% (85.63% 2025)
Steenbras Dam (upper): 85.83% (96.50% 2025)
Steenbras Dam (lower): 62.74% (78.55% 2025)
Theewaterskloof Dam: (60.90%) (85.70% 2025)
Berg Rivier Dam: 67.90% (87.30% 2025)
Wemmershoek Dam: 72.80% (81.05% 2025)
Voëlvlei Dam: 67.97% (87.30% 2025)
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