Have your say and help shape the City's Water Conservation and Demand Management Strategy
16 May 2025
As Cape Town continues to grow, it is essential to secure the long-term balance between available water resources and water demand. To support this goal, the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is in the process of updating its Water Conservation and Water Demand Management (WC/WDM) Strategy. Residents are encouraged to review and comment on the draft by Sunday, 25 May 2025.
The City's Water Conservation and Water Demand Management (WC/WDM) Strategy was first approved by Council in 2007 and has been periodically reviewed to reflect changing conditions and lessons learned. Over the years, the City has made notable progress in implementing water-saving initiatives, including:
- Proactive leak detection and repairs on water infrastructure
- Pressure management across the network
- Meter replacement programmes
- Tariff reviews to promote responsible usage
- Internal leak repairs for indigent households
- Ongoing public education and awareness campaigns
The draft Water Conservation and Water Demand Management (WC/WDM) Strategy is available here.
'Water is a vital resource that we all need to use responsibly. Public input is crucial because our water future depends on collective action. The revised strategy outlines the City's planned interventions for the next decade to ensure sustainable water use, improve water distribution system performance and reduce non-revenue water.' said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
Key goals outlined in the WC/WDM strategy for the next 10 years include:
- The City must by 2034/35 reduce and maintain the non-revenue water (water that is lost and not paid for) by volume to below 20% of water supplied, from 28,1% (2023/2024).
- The City must by 2034/35 reduce and maintain water consumption to below 150 litres per person per day of total potable (drinking) water supplied, from 157 litres per person per day (2023/2024).
- The City must ensure and maintain ongoing effective management systems and water use efficiency measures.
- The City must maintain WC/WDM as one of the key water service delivery strategies, and must give priority to its implementation and ensure an ongoing adequate enabling environment.
- The City must reduce the projected drinking water demand to an average growth rate of no more than 1% per year.
Once finalised, this updated strategy will replace all previous versions and guide the Directorate's efforts to meet current and future water needs sustainably.
Submit public comments by Sunday, 25 May 2025:
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
