Cape Town's water crisis is making world headlines, with the so-called "Day Zero" when Cape Town will be out of water, set for May (having been pushed back by a month). If "day XZero" happ[ens, Cape Toiwn will be the first metropolis to run out of water.
In a nutshell, the water crisis is a combination of a long drought, and political failure on local, regional and national level which failed to plan or account for massive population growth (since the Western Cape is economically more solid and better-run than most regions of SA, Cape Town is an attractive destination for migration within SA).
Progessively more stringent water restrictions have been in place for the past year or so. The latest water restriction encourages users, by way of tariffs, to use an average of 50 litres per person per day, which includes your washing, flushing toilers etc. For most South Africans that's daily life. But for Capetonians used to Western standards of living, that's a lifestyle change.
And most have embraced it enthusiastically, some even quite fanatically. I have a friend who has converted a 2 litre Coke bottle into his shower water supply. Most people collect their grey water and use it to water plants or to flush toilets. People compare water bills to see who has used less water (in our household we used an average of 35 litres per person per day before the latest restrictions; since then we've cut down more). There is a lot of anger at the politicians as well as at those who don't safe water, but also a lot of good humour, and a realisation that water is becoming an increasingly precious resource.
But there is also a growing realisation that the pols are gaslighting us with their Days Zero and lies about dam levels, and blaming the naughty citizens for using water. My prediction is that there will be no Day Zero. Scarce as water is, the politicians are lying to us; and then they'll hike water prices brutally. The consequences of Day Zero would be terrible for the city and for South Africa in general: for investment, for tourism, for the economy. Desalination plants are opening and new sources of water are suddenly being found.
In a nutshell, the water crisis is a combination of a long drought, and political failure on local, regional and national level which failed to plan or account for massive population growth (since the Western Cape is economically more solid and better-run than most regions of SA, Cape Town is an attractive destination for migration within SA).
Progessively more stringent water restrictions have been in place for the past year or so. The latest water restriction encourages users, by way of tariffs, to use an average of 50 litres per person per day, which includes your washing, flushing toilers etc. For most South Africans that's daily life. But for Capetonians used to Western standards of living, that's a lifestyle change.
And most have embraced it enthusiastically, some even quite fanatically. I have a friend who has converted a 2 litre Coke bottle into his shower water supply. Most people collect their grey water and use it to water plants or to flush toilets. People compare water bills to see who has used less water (in our household we used an average of 35 litres per person per day before the latest restrictions; since then we've cut down more). There is a lot of anger at the politicians as well as at those who don't safe water, but also a lot of good humour, and a realisation that water is becoming an increasingly precious resource.
But there is also a growing realisation that the pols are gaslighting us with their Days Zero and lies about dam levels, and blaming the naughty citizens for using water. My prediction is that there will be no Day Zero. Scarce as water is, the politicians are lying to us; and then they'll hike water prices brutally. The consequences of Day Zero would be terrible for the city and for South Africa in general: for investment, for tourism, for the economy. Desalination plants are opening and new sources of water are suddenly being found.
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