On Thursday the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee requested that council implement more severe water restrictions at its sitting next week.
The mayoral committee proposed a plan to upgrade the current Level 3 water restrictions to Level 3B because of diminishing dam levels and unnecessary residential water usage.
Mayoral committee member councillor Xanthea Limberg said that although many residents have been prime examples of water ambassadors, the city has not met its water usage target because of less conscientious residents.
"We will continue to take action against these culprits and will target the city's top 20 000 high water users – the majority of whom reside in formal areas of the metro."
"We are committed to bringing this group to book. They are scuppering all of our efforts to bring down water usage," said Limberg.
In the meantime, water restrictions may become stricter.
If Level 3B water restrictions are implemented, residents will only be allowed to water their gardens on Tuesdays and Saturdays before 09:00 or after 18:00 with a bucket or watering can.
This is grim compared to the current Level 3 water restrictions which do not limit residents to watering their gardens during certain times.
Residents will also have to wait for 48 hours before they water their gardens after rainfall, as opposed to the current 24 hours, and they won't be allowed to wash their boats or vehicles at all, even with a bucket or watering can.
If council approves this suggestion, it will be implemented from February 1, 2017.