In line with Level 6 drought measures, the February 2018 water and sanitation accounts of our water users will reflect a tariff increase. This is an absolutely necessary step to reducing household demand and to ensure that the City can continue to supply water and sanitation services.
The City makes NO PROFIT on water sales. We will still cover the cost of basic water for our indigent residents, but for the rest of our water users these tariff increases are unavoidable. The highest users will face the greatest increases.
The City thanks our residents for their major efforts over the past year to reduce their water consumption. Unfortunately, we still have to reduce consumption further to ensure that we do not run out of water.
We find ourselves in a truly unprecedented situation and, as a City, we have had to make some incredibly difficult choices. It must be emphasised that all water and sanitation revenue from the tariff increases goes toward water and sanitation services. The tariffs are linked to usage. The more you use, the more you pay.
Yesterday we announced that Day Zero, the day we may have to start queueing for water, is expected to move out to 11 May 2018 due to a decline in agricultural usage. Since the implementation of Level 6 restrictions, there has been a further decline in urban usage but not at a sufficient scale. All Capetonians must therefore endeavour to use no more than 50 litres per person per day to help stretch our dwindling supplies through summer. We trust that the tariff increases will serve as deterrent against high usage. As a City, we are required to keep within the allocation as set by the National Department of Water and Sanitation. We are not there yet.
All preparations for the possibility of reaching Day Zero continue, but if residents continue to reduce overall water consumption, that can still be avoided. The City also continues with the roll-out of aggressive pressure management initiatives in an effort to stretch our supplies even further.
Cost of water: total monthly bill (Level 6 tariffs) (including VAT) for non-indigent person:
6 kl R 179.58
10.5 kl R 415.56
20 kl R 1 555.56
35 kl R 6 685.56
50 kl R 20 365.56
See the following link for all of the new tariff details: http://bit.ly/WaterTariff
Please visit www.capetown.gov/thinkwater for all water-related information, including Level 6B restrictions and FAQs about Day Zero as well as tips to lower usage even further.
Also visit www.capetown.gov.za/watermap to see if your household is painting the city green to avoid Day Zero.
