Cape Town has become the latest poster child of drought in the Southern African region. The dramatic declaration of Day Zero—the date on which the taps are turned off—has caught the attention of the world. Indeed, in light of this looming deadline, now set for July 7 of this year, the city is facing the implementation of unprecedented water restrictions, such as a daily limit of 50 liters of water per person; severe, mandatory decreases in water usage by agricultural users and commercial properties; and complete bans of unnecessary water usage.

  1. Planners at city, provincial/state, and national levels relied on the 2005 planning exercise that, at the time, indicated the city was water secure until 2022.  These plans did not accommodate other scenarios, in spite of continuing major drought events in South Africa and its neighbors, which clearly indicated a shift in weather patterns.
  2. A factor is the city’s over-reliance on traditional surface water sources, with limited investment in a sustainable groundwater strategy or other augmentation options like desalination.
  3. Ahere is limited enthusiasm from South African institutions and their international partners to embrace the array of new solutions and technologies.

Read the full article on Day Zero by Dhesigen Naidoo at Brookings