Drought charge to help us avoid Day Zero

Due to the current drought, many Capetonians have restricted their water use to help save water. We appreciate your commitment and the huge effort you have made to save water.

We are working hard to make new water available, to help us through the drought.

We:

have doubled the output from the Atlantis aquifer
have made water available from the Oranjezicht main springs
are drilling abstraction boreholes into the Table Mountain Group Aquifer to supply the Steenbras catchment area.

These projects are essential, but expensive. So, we have proposed a drought charge on property rates in 2018, to help pay for these vital emergency water projects and will primarily also be used to ensure the water operations of the City remain available for all. If approved, the charge will be valid from 1 February 2018 until 30 June 2021.

It is not a punitive charge, but is absolutely vital to fund our emergency water programme and water services, due to the steep decline in income.

We cannot hope for the required help from the national government at the moment, and we simply do not have the money for what is required. We need to do this as Team Cape Town.

How is it calculated?

The charge will have an effect on owners of residential properties, valued at more than R400 000, and business properties, valued at more than R50 000. It is based on your property value and will be calculated at between 10% and 11% of the rates portion of your municipal account.

Please note: All current rebates, e.g. pensioner, disability or indigent, will remain intact to ensure we protect more vulnerable people.

For examples of how the proposed drought charge will apply to property values, and to comment on the drought charge, visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay. You have until 12 January 2018 to comment.

For additional queries about the drought charge, contact the City’s call centre on 0860 103 089.