Cape Town's water consumption has shot up by 54 million litres per day since the announcement that Day Zero has been beaten.
Dam levels have fallen by only 0.3% to 22.7% partly due to the cooler weather, the City said.
Water consumption is at 565 million litres a day. The City’s water usage target is 450 million litres.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane earlier this month announced that Day Zero would not occur this year, provided that citizens continue consuming water at current levels, and that there was decent winter rainfall.
Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson said that despite the spike, the City is confident water users will again shatter water use records in the weeks ahead.
“We will continue to monitor the water usage trend to see whether the increase in consumption is a once-off occurrence or whether there is another underlying reason that would need to be addressed,” Neilson said.
Level 6B water restrictions are still in place.
Water pressure reduction remains in place and water management devices continue to be installed.
“If all Capetonians join us by keeping their consumption down to 50 litres of water a day, or less, we will avoid having to take more drastic actions,” Neilson said.
Sandra Dickson of the Stop COCT action group, which led the charge in defeating the city’s proposed drought charge, said a tone of “threat” came through once again in the City’s communication.
“We as citizens are eagerly awaiting the day that the City will be adding new water to our reticulation system. We do not want to hear that there are delays because the City has run out of money.
“Nor do we want to hear excuses that equipment was stolen from drilling sites delaying the production of new water,” Dickson said.
“Instead the City lays the blame and the burden on the people of Cape Town to foot the bill as well as to endure living through extreme water austerity measures.”
Shaheed Mahomed of the Water Crisis Coalition said the City had been negligent in its handling of the water crisis.
“They are blaming the people for escalating water use, but they must take responsibility for their own failure. Their handling of this matter raises serious questions.”
The coalition believed the handling of the crisis was a cover for the privatisation of water.
Cape Times