"Water consumption has flat lined for the past 17 years"... in addition to this  piece of so-called good news there is another snippet of truth that is not told to the public - One method of extracting water is means of M.A.R.S (Managed Aquifer Replenishment System). This has been successfully implemented in notably western Australia and California. So why haven't we looked at this in advance?? Well, heres the clincher: There has been a small M.A.R.S system successfully operating north of Cape Town for the past 40 years!!! 
So the excuse that government  need to implement stringent restrictions is testimony to their inability to effectively address the problem... Surely it is their mandate to secure adequate water for the populace and business and not to throw it back at the citizens and make it their responsibility? Having siad that, I fully appreciate that the general public should be educated about wasting water..
So, perhaps this service SHOULD be handed over to the private sector!