Cape Town Dam Levels Rise For First Time Since at Least October

(Bloomberg) -- Storage in dams supplying water to Cape Town climbed in the past week for the first time since at least October 2017, according to data provided by the city.

Total storage rose to 20.9 percent, from 20 percent the week before, the city said in a statement published on its website. Usage remained stable at 505 million liters (133 million gallons) a day, the city said, while large parts of the catchment areas for the dams received rain last week.

Dam levels have dropped from close to 40 percent in October as the worst drought on record depleted reserves. Residents of Cape Town are being restricted to using 50 liters of water each a day and told to take 90-second showers. As usage declined, the city removed for this year the threat of a “Day Zero” when it would turn off the taps.

To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Brand in Cape Town at rbrand9@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Dana El Baltaji at delbaltaji@bloomberg.net.

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