A certain percentage of water supplied to the CMA goes unaccounted for. The exact figure is not known at this stage.

Currently, it is estimated that an average of 2.9% of the population of the CMA do not have access to water supplies within 50 m of their household. In other areas, this proportion may increase to over 5%. Meeting these and other backlogs of water supply will further increase the rate of growth of water demand in the CMA.

Currently, of the 528 Ml of wastewater being produced per day, 9% is being reused for industrial purposes. Approximately 12 000 Ml of wastewater per annum is disposed of in to the sea.

The actual percentage of full supply capacity of dams supplying the CMC was approximately 91% as at 31 October 1998.

• Percentage population served with safe and adequate water supply.
• Water demand per annum (in m³).
• Percentage of full supply capacity of the dams supplying the CMC with raw water for treatment.

The CMC annual October Household Survey includes the collection of data on:

• Household water source.

Refer to indicators for waste (see Waste indicators).

See a summary of all Indicators on this website

The Directorate: Water and Waste has committed itself to:

• Upgrading and expanding water metering systems in the CMA.
• The establishment of broadly representative Catchment Committees tasked with the
  

preparation of Catchment Management Plans for the Khayelitsha Wetlands, Noordhoek Valley (Wildevoëlvlei) and the Sand River catchment.

• The implementation of water demand management.

Furthermore, the CMC has:

• Authorised approximately R38 million for a water supply scheme to transfer water from Voëlvlei to Atlantis. This scheme should have a beneficial effect on the quality of the water recharging the Atlantis aquifer. The CMC in conjunction with the CSIR are currently involved in ongoing monitoring of the water resources at Atlantis, as part of the Atlantis Water Reserve Management Scheme.

• Budgeted R5 million for water demand management during the 1998/99 financial year. R4.3 million of this has been allocated to the six MLCs to reduce water wastage.

• Committed itself to an analysis of environmentally significant areas, including ecosystems mapping of the CMA. This will provide the foundation for the preparation and implementation of a detailed Metropolitan Open Space System (MOSS) in accordance with the Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework (MSDF).

Additional response underway:

• DWAF initiated the national Working for Water Programme, including the clearing of invasive alien vegetation in river catchments in and around the CMA in order to both create jobs and improve run-off to rivers and streams.

• watering the garden early in the morning or late at night;
• planting indigenous vegetation;
• minimising the size of your lawn and planting indigenous ground cover instead;
• washing the car using a bucket instead of a hose pipe;
• installing water saving devices e.g. a multi-flush toilet system, low-flow shower heads and tap flow controllers and aerators;
• installing a water tank to capture run-off from your roof for use in the garden;
• taking showers rather than baths;
• switching off the tap while not in use; and,
• fixing leaking taps and pipes.

Conserve water in the work place by:

• recycling water;
• installing water saving devices; and,
• fixing leaking taps and pipes.

Report leakages and obvious wastage of water in public spaces to your local authority.