Updated 27 December 2018
Cape Town has recently come out of a drought – 2018’s winter rains brought much-needed relief, but the region’s water resources are still under pressure. We are asking visitors to be mindful of their water usage and save like a local.
How can visitors help?
As of 1 December 2018, level 3 water restrictions are in effect, which recommends limiting usage to 105 litres per person per day. You can still have a fantastic holiday while using less water. We love Cape Town, and we want it to remain a wonderful destination for future generations. If we all work to conserve our precious resources, we can make a big difference!
8 Tips to save like a local
- Re-use your towels and bedding instead of asking for changes every day.
- Try to flush the toilet less. Each flush uses between 6 and 14 litres, depending on the kind of toilet.
- Use a cup to rinse your mouth when you brush your teeth rather than letting the taps run.
- Limit your showers to under 2 minutes, and avoid bathing.
- Report leaking taps and toilets as soon as you notice them.
- Avoid washing clothes until you have a full load’s worth of laundry, or make use of water-wise laundry services such as Green Planet Laundry.
- If possible, use a dishwasher to clean dishes. Just make sure you only run it when it is full.
- Use this nifty calculator to make sure you’re helping to save water.
Will water restrictions affect my trip to Cape Town?
You will still be able to do everything you need to enjoy a holiday in Cape Town.Businesses in Cape Town (including hotels and guesthouses) have learned to cut their water usage so that visitors are affected as little as possible. You may notice reduced-flow taps and showers, hand sanitisers in bathrooms, bottled water, and sourcing water from alternate sources such as boreholes and rain tanks for gardens and pools.During peak season (November to January) international tourists only add 1% to the population of the Western Cape. This number drops from April to September. If you follow the daily usage guideline, your impact would be negligible.For more information visit capetown.gov.za/thinkwater.
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