Stellenbosch Municipality recently announced that Level 2 water restrictions will apply to residents from 1 March. This decision follows conflicting communication surrounding the reality of remaining water storage levels.
While the municipality warns residents to reduce water usage, a local business continues to navigate the drought warning with characteristic Stellenbosch wit. PHOTO: Ella Bosman
A media statement released by the municipality on 25 February announced that the decision by the Stellenbosch Municipal Council to implement Level 2 water restrictions was in line with the by-laws approved during the 2017 drought. They outlined that this is “a proactive step aimed at safeguarding shared water resources and ensuring long-term security of supply”.
Professor Kobus du Plessis of Stellenbosch University (SU)’s civil engineering Department told SMF News that estimating remaining days of water is a complicated process. The calculation involves “[balancing] the demand pattern [how many cubic meters, or volume of water used per day] against the available water in the dam, [one can calculate] how long the available volume will last.” However, professor Du Plessis added that while the measurement “is frequently a simple way to communicate the limited water resources available,” it is “very dangerous to state as a fact, given all variables”.
Restrictions were implemented on 1 March. This involves a 330 litre per day limit per individual. In addition to this, residents will be subject to tariffs on their accounts at the end of each month. The full list of Level 2 restrictions and detailed guidelines can be accessed here or by contacting the “Let’s Fix It” WhatsApp line on 076 951 0768.
According to the most recent census data from Stellenbosch Municipality’s 2022 Social and Economic Profile (SEP), the municipality serves approximately 199 325 residents across Stellenbosch.
As indicated by a post made on the municipality’s official channels on 11 February 2026, the town’s total daily average water consumption is presently around 24.7 megalitres (ML) per day and their target reduction is a total daily usage of 24 ML. This is enough water to fill 12 Olympic swimming pools.
An infographic published by the Stellenbosch Municipality indicates that current water usage levels need to be greatly reduced. INFOGRAPHIC: Sourced: Facebook @Stellenbosch Municipality
The 2024/2025 annual report draft indicates that Stellenbosch draws 68.92% of its water primarily from six major Western Cape Water Supply (WCWS) dams. These include Theewaterskloof, Berg River, Steenbras (Upper and Lower), Wemmershoek and Voëlvlei, which form part of a broader regional water system, providing the additional 31.08%.
According to the City of Cape Town’s dam dashboard, combined storage across the dams, stands at 54.8 as of 25 February. The system currently records average daily use of 1073 ML per day.
The report outlines that the combined water input across the WCWS system stood at 12 775 ML with a daily average demand of 34.9 ML per day for the 2024/2025 financial year.
City of Cape Town Weekly Water Dashboard on 23 February indicating cause for concern with low dam levels and high daily water usage. The report indicates that dam levels in 2026 are 20% lower than previous years. INFOGRAPHIC: City of Cape Town Water Dashboard
Public concern was raised following an article published on 5 February by The Cape Independent, claiming that Stellenbosch’s water supply may only last for 40 days. The publication attributed the alleged shortfall to what it described as systemic maintenance failures and potential corruption within local water management structures. According to the publication, while several local dam levels appear healthy, “specific key sources feeding Stellenbosch are disconnected.”
“Claims made in the Cape Independent article that taps will run dry soon [have been] proven to be just sensationalist and untrue,” said Stuart Grobbelaar, Stellenbosch Municipality’s communications officer.
Further claims made by the Cape Independent with regards to political interference and a lack of maintenance in the storage system were not addressed in depth by the municipality, yet the municipality’s statement adds that “claims of sabotage of municipal water infrastructure are taken very seriously and an investigation into these allegations has already commenced”. The Municipality, however, has refuted this.
Professor Du Plessis emphasised the importance of regular dam and storage system maintenance: “If not maintained appropriately, failure rates [of water distribution] significantly increase and reach disastrous levels which are extremely difficult to stop and turn around replacing at a significant cost frequently being the only option.”
He added that the need for regular upkeep has increased due to the rapid expansion of Stellenbosch residents, which has created an increase in demand for water. According to the 2022 SEP, Stellenbosch currently experiences an annual population growth rate of 2%. He warned, “if no extra resources are added, then the risk of failure increases significantly.”
This is a developing story. Expect updates from SMF News within the upcoming weeks.
A “Save water” poster is visible in the Stellenbosch Municipal offices, where a “Lets fix it” sign offers residents a space to obtain more information about how the restrictions will affect them. PHOTO: Ella Bosman