Western Cape Provincial Government on launch of ten year water resilience strategy

The Western Cape Government has launched a comprehensive Water Resilience Strategy (2025–2035) aimed at securing the province’s water future through sustainable management, innovation, and partnerships.

Speaking at the launch in Cape Town today, Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the strategy is about futureproofing the Western Cape. “The Water Resilience Strategy is about ensuring that every community, farm, business, and ecosystem has reliable, sustainable, and equitable access to water.”

Tertuis Simmers, Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure added: “This groundbreaking strategy is more than just an environmental plan. It is an economic, social, and moral compact to ensure that every person, every business, and every ecosystem has access to water in a way that is sustainable, fair, and future focused.”

Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism said: “Water is not only essential for life—it is the foundation of economic growth. The Water Resilience Strategy is a critical enabler of our Growth for Jobs vision, which aims to build a R1-trillion economy by 2035. By securing our water future, we are safeguarding agriculture, unlocking investment, and ensuring that every community and business has the resources to thrive. This is how we build resilience, create jobs, and restore dignity to our people.”

The ten-year plan sets out ambitious but necessary goals, including:

• Securing an additional 310 million cubic metres of water per year
• Conserving 40 million cubic metres annually through efficiency and demand management
• Ensuring all Western Cape municipalities have diversified water sources and updated master plans
• Reducing non-revenue water losses to below 25%
• Achieving Blue Drop and Green Drop scores of 95% or higher in at least 80% of municipalities
• Guaranteeing safely managed water access for every urban resident

Minister Bredell said the Western Cape’s recent experiences, from the Day Zero drought in 2018 in Cape Town, to severe flooding events in the province in 2023 and 2024 has underscored the need to plan for both scarcity and abundance.

“Resilience cannot be built after a crisis; it must be built before one. This strategy shifts us from crisis response to proactive, long-term planning,” he said.

The strategy is built around four key pillars:

1. Water conservation and demand management – prioritising efficiency and behavioural change
2. Water augmentation – expanding sources through reuse, desalination, groundwater, and ecological restoration
3. Infrastructure development and management – maintaining and modernising critical water systems
4. Governance and partnerships – improving coordination, accountability, and capacity across all spheres of government

Minister Bredell said one of government’s most fundamental responsibilities is to support people so that they can live with dignity. Research shows that the current indigent support for vulnerable households is simply not enough.

“Legislation currently provides 6 kilolitres of free water and 50 kWh of electricity per household. But we believe this should be at least 10 kilolitres of water and 150 kWh of electricity. Access to clean water provides dignity, but it also reduces the burden on our clinics and hospitals. The real question is not whether we can afford to provide these essential services, but whether we can afford not to invest in our people.”

Enquiries:
Spokesperson for Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Wouter Kriel
Cell: 079 694 3085

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