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Winde wants Western Cape water restrictions to start early

Published

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde wants the first round of water restrictions before the Department of Water and Sanitation finishes its assessment later this month. He cited looming El Niño conditions and high summer temperatures, and urged residents to save water now.

Winde said provincial dam levels are just under 80%. He said Cape Town's dams are significantly lower than a year ago. The areas of concern include Cape Town and the Garden Route.

Winde said El Niño conditions and high summer temperatures raise the risk of a Day Zero-type crisis. He also said water could become a bigger crisis than energy.

He said: "I would actually like to see the first round of restrictions coming in earlier". The provincial government set aside nearly R41 million this year for drought response and water resilience projects.

Key facts

Who
Alan Winde (Western Cape Premier); Department of Water and Sanitation (department completing a water assessment later this month)
What
Winde urged residents to save water now and said the first round of water restrictions should come in earlier, citing looming El Niño conditions and high summer temperatures. Provincial dam levels are just under 80%, while Cape Town's dams are significantly lower than a year ago.
When
26 October 2026
Where
Western Cape, Cape Town, Garden Route
Status
Reported

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