New Water Amendments
New Water Amendments and what home-owners need to know
New water amendments are have been enforced from the beginning of July 2018. The City of Cape Town is advising property owners to be aware of these important restrictions and to continue save water wherever possible. These amendments provide clarity on residential water use and are designed to prepare the city for a scarcity of water in the future.
· Landlords must now keep a record of the consumption of water used for each residential unit in a multi-tenant complex/block of flats, and inform the City if contraventions of water restrictions are taking place.
· New developments must install water conservation and demand management systems, or alternative water systems of which must be approved by the City before the development proceeds.
· The City’s oversight of plumbers has been strengthened by allowing the City to not only remove plumbers from its register but institute legal action if they are found to have transgressed the Water By-law.
· Updates have been made to align the By-law with new legislation, standards and technical specifications.
· A prepayment meter is now an option, in addition to the WMD, as a Council water meter. While this technology is not yet at a stage of development for uptake by the City, having this item of legislation in the By-law allows the City to make use of it in the event that it becomes appropriate and necessary.
· Potable (drinking) water storage tanks must be hidden from sunlight to prevent the growth of bacteria.
· No cross-connection must exist on private property between potable and non-potable water systems.
· No irrigation of gardens is allowed between 9 am and 6 pm, including from boreholes and well-points. Previously no irrigation was allowed 10am and 4pm, and did not include borehole water. Watering gardens in the heat of the day can result in significant water lost to evaporation.
· Maximum capacity for toilet and shower head flow has been lowered. Toilets are now only allowed a maximum 6 litre cistern volume (down from 9 litres), and water from shower heads must flow out at no more than 7 litres per minute (down from 9.5 litres/minute).
· Pools must be covered to avoid evaporation when not being used