Paul:  city paid for and built the dams and pipelines decades ago and for sure the dams help us too.    My town gets its water from the same dam but obviously does its own treatment.

I'd assume national department gets involved if city for example wants to put in a pipeline from the Orange.

The city planning bodies allowed water demand to grow and grow well beyond the dam network's ability to satisfy.   If catchment + dams is not enough or no more dams can be added, they should have (1) added recycling instead of dumping sewer in the sea (2) added desalination for at least the growth in water demand since 2000.

The truly horrific comment was a city official, upon being told of a measure that could help reduce demand, responding that the city needs the revenue from the high water tariffs to pay its salaries so No : they are not interested in the idea.