Update 04/12/2018
Restrictions Relaxed
The 1st of December marks a lowering of the water restrictions in Cape Town to Level 3. This means that the daily limit per person is up to 105 liters, all thanks to the conservation of citizens and the tourism industry. We are proud to say that Cape Town is open to visitors and we welcome the support they bring to future initiatives in terms of saving water and preventing drought.
Update 21/09/2018
Dam Levels at 73%
Cape Town’s winter season has been wetter than ever due to several positive influxes of weather sweeping in over the last few months. Our citizens have also been saving water according to the tight restrictions placed on city resources and Rhino Africa has seen a conscientious effort on the part of the travel industry to do the same.
Now, as we near the end of winter, the dam levels have risen to a staggering 73%! This is way up from the initial crisis level of under 20% at the start of the year. Cape Town is back on the map and we encourage guests to enjoy the summer season without worry as sustainability is still at the forefront of everything we do, even as the dams continue to fill up. Read more about the history of water crisis here.
Due to the recent snow and heavy rainfall in Cape Town, we sent our team out to scour the surrounds for signs of water levels increasing in the area. What we found was astonishing, as rivers rushed through lush fields and waterfalls roared over the mountainside. It is quite apparent that a huge shift has occurred our water supply and that Cape Town is back in business.
After the scary tales of Day Zero and minimal rainfall during our wet season last year, we are proud to say that dam levels are on the rise! A 6.3% rise in recent weeks to be exact. Continuous rain over the past month as well as a majorly curbed consumption due to water-wise techniques being implemented, we have reached over 50% in dam level storage. Our team on the ground has been monitoring the situation as it has improved and you can read about our past updates here.
While more rains are expected and The City of Cape Town is still planning a desalination strategy in cooperation with private businesses, the Cape Town tourism industry is determined to conserve water with their water-wise campaign. This is good news for tourists as while visitors to South Africa generally have a low impact on resources, the curbing of water usage by tourism partners ensures that there is almost no ecological footprint.
Visitors to South Africa boost the local economy which in turn feeds efforts in water conservation. Tourists can still enjoy all that Cape Town has to offer without the worry that it will impact the environment too negatively due to behind-the-scenes work by hospitality operators and the municipality. Never before has there been this much attention on our actions as citizens and as a tourism giant.
Be a part of a climate change initiative that is a global force in combating the effects that it is having on our environment world-wide. Cape Town is a proud participant in implementing these tools locally whilst inviting international visitors to support the change and appreciate the magnificent natural beauty of the Cape. By sharing your story of travelling through Cape Town, you can impact more people to protect and value the natural splendour of our city and surrounds.