The Water Crisis in Cape Town

It’s difficult to imagine a global city running out of water, but it’s a scary reality for South Africa’s Cape Town.

The city is in the midst of a years-long drought and, according to local authorities, it’s only a couple months away from the situation becoming so dire it must turn off its taps completely — a day chillingly known as Day Zero, forecasted for April 12. If the situation doesn’t improve, Cape Town will become the world’s first major city to run out of water, though it likely won’t be the last.

Anxiety has set in for the city’s 4 million residents, who were told not to use more than 13.2 gallons of drinking water a day. To put it in perspective, the average American uses 80–100 gallons of water daily, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

If Day Zero arrives, officials have plans in place for guarded collection points where citizens would be allotted 6.6 gallons of water a day. The challenge the city faces is many people either don’t seem to understand the severity of the situation or disregard it, believing it to be exaggerated, despite serious warnings and a nearly empty Theewaterskloof Dam.

Throughout January, Cape Town Tourism reported cancellations from international and domestic travelers. Tourism remains an important part of the regional economic system, so it’s more important than ever for tourists to educate themselves on the issues facing Cape Town and do their part in conserving water while visiting.