The date when taps in Cape Town are switched off because of a severe water shortage has been pushed back by 25 days to May 11.
The so-called ‘Day Zero’ was previously set at April 21, 16 and 12.
The decision is based on projections of a sharp drop in agricultural use in March and April, The Independent reported.
Day Zero is the day when the aggregate level on reservoirs drops to 13.5%.
The level currently stands at 25.5%, down by 0.8% in the past week.
Hot weather forecast for the coming week is expected to accelerate the decline.
Cape Town executive deputy mayor Ian Neilson said: “Day Zero, the day we may have to start queuing for water, is expected to move out to mid-May 2018 due to a decline in agricultural usage.”
However, he urged people in the South African city to continue reducing consumption to avoid Day Zero.
“There has not been any significant decline in urban usage. All Capetonians must therefore continue to use no more than 50 litres per person per day to help stretch our dwindling supplies,” Neilson added.
“Many of the agricultural users in the Western Cape Supply System, where the city also draws its water from, have used up the water allocated to them.
“Agricultural usage is therefore likely to drop significantly over the next weeks. Currently, the agriculture sector is drawing about 30% of the water in the supply scheme. This should fall to approximately 15% in March and 10% in April.
“This is a welcome decline in water usage and gives Cape Town and some of the other municipalities hope but importantly, we need to get our consumption down to 450 million litres per day to prevent the remaining water supplies running out before the arrival of winter rains. We cannot accurately predict the volume of rainfall still to come, or when it will come.”
He added: “Last year, we had abnormally low winter rainfall, and we cannot assume that this year will be any different. Even if we have been given a slight reprieve at this stage, we are likely to be facing a late and dry winter.
All preparations for the possibility of reaching Day Zero continue in earnest.
“With the hot weather predicted over the week ahead and expected high evaporation rates, coupled with an expected increase in water use by our residents as a result of the weather, we dare not rest on our laurels now.”