WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT CAPE TOWN’S INVISIBLE TREASURE

The Table Mountain Water Source Partnership was established in 2020 following a severe drought (2017–2020) to coordinate groundwater management in Cape Town. The partnership, comprising government, private sector, academic, and civil society members, focuses on policy work, restoration of recharge areas, and the development of monitoring tools like groundwater dashboards. Cape Town is situated within two strategic water source areas: the surface-level Table Mountain Water Source Area and the Cape Flats-Cape Peninsula groundwater source area. The document highlights the risk posed by unmanaged private borehole abstraction and the increased likelihood of severe droughts due to the climate crisis.

• The 2017–2020 drought, which nearly led to 'Day Zero' in Cape Town, demonstrated the vulnerability of the region to unpredictable weather and reduced rainfall, with similar severe droughts now three times more likely due to the climate crisis.
• Unmanaged and unsustainable groundwater abstraction, particularly through a rise in unregistered private boreholes and well-points, threatens water security for residents and the resilience of groundwater-dependent ecosystems such as wetlands.
• Cape Town is located within two overlapping strategic water source areas (SWSAs): the surface-level Table Mountain Water Source Area and the Cape Flats-Cape Peninsula groundwater source area, both of which are critical for local water security and biodiversity.
• The Table Mountain Water Source Partnership has implemented several initiatives, including reaching 36,000 people through faith-based awareness groups, educating 2,000 youth in the Cape Flats, and recommending the devolution of groundwater management to local government via a policy review.
• South Africa has 37 groundwater strategic water source areas (SWSAs), some of which account for up to 42% of baseflows that sustain river flow during dry seasons.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT CAPE TOWN’S INVISIBLE TREASURE. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/table-mountain-wsp_factsheet-update_jan25.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT CAPE TOWN’S INVISIBLE TREASURE. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/table-mountain-wsp_factsheet-update_jan25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT CAPE TOWN’S INVISIBLE TREASURE |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/table-mountain-wsp_factsheet-update_jan25.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandworking, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT CAPE TOWN’S INVISIBLE TREASURE}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/table-mountain-wsp_factsheet-update_jan25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }