Cape Town Rations Water Before Reservoirs Hit Zero

[DesertRat]

No end to water crisis in South Africa’s second largest city.

It’s called Day Zero, the day when the six main reservoirs that supply Cape Town will be drained of water.

For Cape Town and the Western Cape province of South Africa, which enter the dry season after three consecutive years of significantly below-average rainfall, that nightmare scenario is approaching with uncomfortable speed. Without drastic action to conserve or to tap emergency supplies, the region’s leaders warn that Day Zero could come by March.

To avoid that unthinkable reckoning — a major city without running water — Cape Town’s four million residents will be forced to use less. On October 22, city authorities began reducing pressure in the water distribution system, in effect cutting water intermittently to homes and businesses in response to the historic drought that has helped shrink reservoirs to their lowest levels on record. The city aims to whittle household water use to the bare minimum, just 87 liters (23 gallons) per person per day, roughly equal to one 10-minute shower.

“If we don’t pull together now and drive down water usage even further, we face the risk of disrupting the daily lives of our households and businesses,” Richard Bosman, executive director of Safety and Security, wrote in the introduction to the city’s disaster plan, released the first week of October after the national water ministry asked for tighter water restrictions.

http://www.circleofblue.org/2017/world/cape-town-rations-water-reservoirs-hit-zero/

[lapfog_1]

1. They better come up with an alternative solution

Climate change isn't going to go away.

BTW, California is in the same boat... we just had a small reprieve last season... but long term drought will be the norm.

[procon]

2. Many ancient cities were abandoned after their water source gave out.

Water shortages around the globe are only going to get worse, and when the water supply fails all those people are going to migrate someplace else, taxing limited water resources even more.

Today, in California, there is a small town nearby that ran out of water a decade ago and now most of the residents must rely on expensive private water deliveries to keep their large plastic water tanks supplied. My brother lives in Tulare County and there are several small towns with no water because the wells have run dry. Many towns are locked in ongoing legal battles over who has the rights and priorities to pump groundwater from diminishing aquifers.

My rural community has 5 good water wells owned by the residential property owners. We get inquiries from towns 30 miles away to either buy water from us, or buy our water company outright to divert water to their parched residents.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. I remember Cape Town from my childhood as amazingly green and lush

Admittedly, we lived in a dry part of the country, so I was particularly struck by the greenery. Still, locals always complained about the drizzle.

This was a bit more than 60 years ago.

[BannonsLiver]

4. I was there in June

As luck would have it during a pretty bad storm, and I remember there were great concern about water usage. Hotels asking guests to conserve. I loved Cape Town.