The City of Cape Town has introduced water management devices for people who want to control the amount of water they use, enabling them to save water and money.

These devices are not pre-paid water meters, and ensure that residents get their free water every day, plus more if they pay a small amount. They allow residents to set a limit on the amount of water they receive and pay for.

Clean drinking water is a scarce resource, and must not be wasted. Currently, millions of litres of water are being wasted through leaks, and residents often end up paying for water they don’t use.

Water management devices measure out specific amounts of water per day, according to the amount that the resident decides to receive.

All metered residential properties automatically get 6 000 free litres of water a month. However, if you are the registered owner of your property and your family earns less than R2 880 per month, you can register on the City’s indigent database at municipal offices, and will be able to get 10 500 litres a month (350 litres per day) for only R2,53 (this amount includes the free 200 litres).

The City will not use the “trickle system”, even if residents are in arrears on their water bills.

The water management devices are installed free of charge for indigent households, and debts will be written off if these residents manage their water use and keep within their daily allocation.

Those residents who do not qualify as indigent can pay a once-off fee to install a water management device. Such residents can also commit to pay more money for a higher allocation.

So far, over 30 000 water management devices have been installed in Cape Town, including the Mayor’s house.

These water management devices have already saved the City 156 million litres of water every month, worth R510 000.

To request the installation of a water management device in your home, you must apply at your nearest City of Cape Town front office.

If you have problems with a water management device already installed in your home, with your municipal water meter, or with the water mains in your street, send an SMS of no more than 160 characters to the number 31373. Include your name, your account or erf number, your street address and a brief description of the fault (e.g. “burst pipe” or “blocked pipe” or “leaking meter”) and we will be there to help. SMSes cost 80c each.

The Water Services Technical Operations Centre hotline number for customers who need operator assistance when reporting blockages, burst pipes and the like is: 0860 103 054; and e-mail: WaterTOC@capetown.gov.za