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Saving water

Saving water

Water is a precious resource and we must all use it wisely. By saving water, you can contribute to our water conservation efforts, and help secure Cape Town’s shared water future.

Top ways to save water

Every water-saving effort helps to make a difference. Saving water means that our water supply stretches further and you help to secure Cape Town’s shared water future. 

Read our top 10 ways to use water wisely this summer:

Also see our indoor water-saving tips, to find out how you can make a difference (English | Afrikaans | isiXhosa).

WATER regulations and RESTRICTIONS

Permanent water-saving regulations are in place, in terms of the Water By-law, and failure to comply with regulations may result in a fine or prosecution. Water restrictions are not in effect, since 1 November 2020, but please use water responsibly. If we can collectively use less than 850 million litres per day over the 2022-2023 summer, we can reduce the risk of restrictions.

Saving water in the home:

  • The maximum flow rate of new and replaced showerheads may not exceed 7 litres per minute. 
  • The maximum flow rate of any washbasin tap may not exceed 6 litres per minute. 
  • New or replaced toilet cisterns may not exceed 6 litres in capacity.

Saving water outside:

  • No hosing down of hard-surfaced or paved areas with municipal drinking water allowed. 
  • Hosepipes must be fitted with a controlling device such as a spray nozzle or automatic self-closing device. 
  • Watering only allowed before 09:00 or after 18:00 (to avoid evaporation losses in the heat of the day). 
  • Alternative water sources such as borehole and well-point water must be used sparingly and efficiently. 
  • All swimming pools must be covered by a pool cover to avoid evaporation when not in use. 
  • Automatic top up systems using a float valve fed from a municipal drinking water source to supply swimming pools and garden ponds are not allowed.

Saving water in your business or organisation:

  • Handwash basins and showers at public facilities must be fitted with demand-type taps. 
  • Commercial car washes must comply with industry best-practice norms (e.g. recycling and re-using a minimum of 50% of the water used). 
  • Municipal drinking water may not be used to dampen building sand and other building material at construction sites.
  • Replace automatic flushing urinals. If they cannot be replaced, turn off the water after hours and over weekends. 
  • Ensure that toilet flush valves flush for no more than four seconds, and urinals for no more than eight seconds.
  • Do regular water audits to find out which areas of your business are using most of your water, and to measure the effectiveness of your water-saving measures. Download our Smart Office Audit sheet.

Did you know?

One leaking toilet wastes between 2 600 and 13 000 litres per month, depending on the flow rate of the leak. A leaking tap wastes between 400 and 2 600 litres per month.

Resources

Fix water leaks

Cape Town’s water use is much higher than it could be because of leaks, dripping taps, and leaking toilets. If leaks are underground, or undetected and ignored for a long time, a lot of water is wasted. Leaks on your property are your responsibility.

Monitor your water usage

To save water, it helps to know how much water you are using and how you could use it more efficiently. Monitor your daily average water use, and check for leaks if it is higher than expected.

Fast fact

About 70% of all water used in the city is used in homes, which is why saving water at home is so important. Find out more about how water is used in Cape Town in the Consumers section in the Water Services and the Cape Town Urban Water Cycle.

Make sure you know where your property’s water meter is located and how to read it. Your daily average water use is provided in your municipal invoice. Alternatively, you can monitor your use online using e-Services. 

City Connect

Register for e-Services

Use of alternative water sources

Using other sources of water does help keep our dams fuller for longer, but it needs to be done safely and legally. Find out more on alternative water sources for your home and business.

Report water issues and offences

Please note

Our WhatsApp channel is unavailable until further notice. Please use one of the alternative options below to report faults.

Help us save water, report water issues (e.g. burst pipes or faulty meters) and restriction offences:

What we are doing to save water

We have implemented a range of measures to save water, including:

  • finding and repairing underground water leaks;
  • continuing with pressure reduction programmes to reduce the flow of water at a time, as well as water losses through leakage in the pipework of the distribution system;
  • making more money available for our first line response teams to attend to reported water faults;
  • improving response times for water complaints;
  • increasing staff numbers to deal with water management device complaints and faults;
  • promoting the use of treated effluent (recycled water) or borehole water instead of drinking water for irrigation purposes;
  • reducing water losses from our systems;
  • replacing ageing water mains; and
  • creating awareness for water saving, through school visits and communication.

water awareness

Organise a water-awareness event at your school or organisation. Contact our water conservation and water-saving awareness team at Water.Education@capetown.gov.za.

Document downloads

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