Here’s what Cape Town’s dam levels are at
· Citizen
Cape Town’s major dams have climbed sharply past 70% following violent storms that swept through the Western Cape recently.
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Dam levels jump
The City of Cape Town confirmed that overall storage across the major dams now stands at 71.3% as of 20 May 2026, up from 70.8% recorded on 18 May.
Total stored water for the week of 18 May reached 635 976 megalitres, a significant jump from the previous week’s 457 273 megalitres, an increase of nearly 20 percentage points in a single week.
Not all dams recovered equally. Wemmershoek recorded the most dramatic turnaround, reaching 93.5% capacity as of 20 May, up from 54.3% the previous week.
Berg River followed at 78.3%, while Theewaterskloof, the largest dam in the system with a full capacity of 480 188 megalitres, sat at 72.2%.
Steenbras Lower remained the most concerning, recording the lowest level among the major dams at 54.3%.
The National Department of Water and Sanitation noted that individual dam readings must be understood in context, explaining that because each dam differs in size, the most reliable measure of overall water availability is total stored capacity expressed as a percentage.
“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 department stated.
Compared with the same period last year, the improvement is striking.
Total storage stood at 531 956 megalitres in 2025, reflecting an overall level of 59.2%, more than 11 percentage points below the current level.
Deadly storms prompt provincial disaster declaration
The sharp recovery in dam levels has come at a devastating human cost.
Torrential rainfall, severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and snowfall lashed large parts of the Western Cape, affecting areas stretching from the Cape Metropole to Worcester, the Breede River Valley, Rawsonville, Ceres, Villiersdorp, and Elim.
Approximately 150 000 people have been affected, and around 11 lives have been lost.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed the classification of a provincial disaster following the severe weather, a move that signals the provincial government is working to unlock resources and coordinate a formal response to the destruction left behind.
How Cape Town’s water supply system works
The dams supplying Cape Town do not operate in isolation.
The City of Cape Town explained that the reservoirs form part of a broader, interconnected network.
“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,” the City stated.
The system’s reach extends well beyond Cape Town’s borders.
According to the City, “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.”