Worried about Water Rationing in Cape Town?

News

Here are some tips from the Authorities.

Are you in Cape Town? Are you planning a trip there?

We know there has been a lot of coverage lately of the water crisis. Below are some guidelines which may help.  

For the most up to date information please visit here . 

An online toolkit has been developed with various resources for all to use.

Some Tips:

DO

• Keep between 5 and 10 litres of water available for drinking use only for the household during rationing (average of four persons per household).
• Reconsider your water usage during peak water usage times. Flatten out the peak by showering (for no more than a minute) later in the evening or before 06:00 in the morning or do your washing after 21:00, as an example.
• Check for updates on advanced pressure management on CTAlerts on Twitter and the City's website . 
  
• If you reside in or operate from multi-storey buildings, ensure that the water supply system (booster pumps and roof-top storage) is in working order in compliance with the Water By-law . 
  
• Ensure that all taps are closed when not in use to prevent damage/flooding when the supply is restored.
• When supply is restored, the water may appear to be cloudy from the extreme pressure reduction exercise. Please do not waste the initial water. Store it and use it for flushing
• Store essential water in a cool, dark place away from light and dust
• Bottles must remain sealed to prevent contamination
• Clearly label water storage containers as 'drinking water' as opposed to non-drinking water
• Where containers (other than bottles) are to be used for storage, ensure these are cleaned and disinfected
• Keep non-drinking water for flushing, particularly multi-storey buildings as the upper floors may not have water during pressure management cycles
• Use less toilet paper as this requires less water to flush and prevents blockages. Only flush when required and close the lid of the toilet when flushing toilet bowls where urine has not been flushed. Use appropriate disinfectants and face masks and gloves where required
• Use waterless hand-sanitiser where possible

• Note that toilets that use flush-masters will be ineffective due to the low pressures
• Note that high-pressure solar water heaters are not at risk of damage from low water pressure or short periods of no pressure (water outages). In cases of low water pressure, the geyser or storage tank will be refilled at a slower rate and the solar water heater will not be adversely affected. Even in cases of water outages or zero pressure, high-pressure solar water heaters that are installed correctly can withstand short periods of time (a few days at a time) without water with no adverse effect on the pump or the panel. 
  
  DON'T

• Store excessive municipal water
• Waste a drop of water
• Where non-drinking water is kept for flushing, this should not be stored for longer than a couple of days. Please use your discretion.

Please note:

• Borehole water: do not use for drinking
• Sea water: do not use to flush toilets and do not drink
• Spring water: not for drinking purposes

• From rivers/wetlands: do not drink. Use only for non-drinking purposes. When collecting non-drinking water, it is best to use gloves and any regulated household disinfectant can be used. If in doubt contact your nearest City Environmental Health Office
• Greywater: do not drink. Use only to flush the toilet
• Fall for 'chancers' and thieves who purport to be from the City to install water-efficient gadgets in private homes in an effort to gain access to your premises
• Shower for more than a minute
• Use alternative sources of water for outdoor use at all. Use it only indoors for flushing due to the severity of the crisis

An online toolkit has been developed with various resources for all to use to help us to drive this message. Please see the website to access material that you may require. This toolkit will be updated regularly.

For information on how to meet the daily water usage requirement, residents should please visit the water restrictions page on the City's website and utilise the water calculator

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