In October 2018, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that a proposal for a permanent desalination plant in Cape Town had been dropped. Ryan Ravens, head of the business forum Accelerate Cape Town, told radio station 702 the option was very costly and argued for a pause to review costs. Unexpectedly heavy rain from June to August 2018 had eased the shortage. During the 2017 drought crisis the city had set up three temporary units at Strandfontein, the V&A Waterfront and Monwabisi, together 16,000 m³/day.
The report showed how quickly support for desalination could fade after a drought once rain eased the pressure and costs again weighed more heavily.