Here’s what level Cape Town’s dams are sitting at after winter rains
· Citizen
The City of Cape Town’s weekly water dashboard for 22 June 2026 shows the Western Cape Water Supply System holding steady above 70%, with exceptional May rainfall credited for a significant recovery.
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However, officials are urging residents not to ease up on water-saving habits.
What the latest dam levels mean for Cape Town residents
The Western Cape Water Supply System recorded an overall storage level of 73.8% as of 22 June 2026, a marginal weekly increase of 0.2 percentage points from the previous week’s 73.6%.
The system’s six major dams collectively hold 663 064 million litres of a total capacity of 898 221 million litres.
The City of Cape Town explains how to read these figures accurately.
“Because each dam size is different, the best indicator of overall dam water levels is the total quantity stored expressed as a percentage of total dam capacity,” the city said.
The city noted, however, that the dams do not operate in isolation. “
The dams in and around Cape Town form part of the Western Cape Water Supply System, which is an integrated and collectively managed system of dams, pump stations, pipelines, and tunnels, it said.
“In addition to servicing Cape Town, the system supplies water to towns in the Overberg, Boland, West Coast, and Swartland areas, and provides irrigation water for agriculture.”
How each dam is performing this week
Wemmershoek is the standout performer among the six major dams, sitting at 99.9% up from 99.5% the previous week and significantly higher than the 62.4% recorded at the same point in 2025.
Steenbras Upper follows at 83.7%, while Berg River sits at 78.8%.
Theewaterskloof, the system’s largest dam with a capacity of 480 188 million litres, is at 75.4%, a slight improvement on both the previous week’s 75.1% and last year’s 63.4%.
Its recovery is particularly significant given that it makes up more than half of the system’s total storage capacity.
Voelvlei, however, remains the weakest link, recording 58.9%, marginally down from 59% the week before and below its 61% level at this time in 2025.
Steenbras Lower is also below the system average at 49.6%, having slipped from 50.3% the previous week.
May’s exceptional rainfall drove a rapid recovery
The city attributed the system’s current healthy levels to an unusually intense rainfall event two months ago.
“Exceptional rainfall during May 2026 resulted in a 20% recovery in Western Cape Water Supply System storage within one week, increasing the likelihood of the system reaching full supply capacity by November 2026,” it stated.
The city was nonetheless careful to temper expectations, noting that the May event should not be taken as the new normal.
“Rainfall intensities in several catchment areas were extreme and should be regarded as an anomalous event,” it cautioned.
June rainfall recorded across the system’s catchment stations has been modest by comparison.
Newlands leads with 53.5mm accumulated for the month against a long-term average of 291mm, while Tygerberg has recorded 82.8mm against a long-term average of 93.8mm.
Theewaterskloof’s catchment has received 38.7mm, well below its long-term monthly average of 72.3mm.
Water use is down, but conservation remains essential
Average total daily water use across the system stands at 872 million litres per day, drawn primarily from major dams at 857 million litres per day, with minor dams contributing 3 million litres per day and groundwater and springs adding a further 12 million litres per day.
The average water use per person in Cape Town is currently 149 litres per day.
The city noted that this figure sits slightly below the 12-month rolling average. “Average water use per person over the last 12 months was approximately 160 litres per day,” it said, adding that seasonal demand patterns are expected to shift.
“Summer demands are expected to be higher than the yearly average due to the increased use of water for outdoor irrigation.”
Despite the improved storage levels, the city is firm that conservation efforts must continue. “As rainfall patterns remain unpredictable, it is important to continue to be water-wise,” it said.
“Use water responsibly to sustain supply.”
Drinking water quality continues to exceed targets
On the quality front, Cape Town’s drinking water remains well above the required national standard.
The city’s compliance rate for February 2026, the most recent figure published, stood at 99.70% against a target of 99%.
The city framed this as a consistent pattern rather than an isolated result. “Compliance, measured against all prescribed chemical and microbiological components, consistently exceeds the very high CCT target of 99%,” it stated.
The water resource status is currently classified as “Water Wise Use,” the least severe level on the city’s alert scale.
The next formal status update is scheduled for July 2026.