The city was able to avoid Day Zero – but only through a combination of aggressive water conservation and efficiency campaigns, and increased rainfall in 2018. Day Zero was pushed back by a full month due to restrictions in allocation of water to surrounding agricultural areas.
What happened to Cape Town’s “Day Zero”?
Cape Town is perhaps the most extreme example to date. Last year its citizens experienced a new kind of countdown: the one to “Day Zero,” as in zero water available. As the risk of this day drew closer, the efforts of the municipality, behavioral change – and rain – eventually enabled the city to avoid reaching it.
How did the city avoid “Day Zero”?
Last year its citizens experienced a new kind of countdown: the one to “Day Zero,” as in zero water available. As the risk of this day drew closer, the efforts of the municipality, behavioral change – and rain – eventually enabled the city to avoid reaching it.
Can Cape Town's'Day Zero'water crisis be averted?
Cape Town, South Africa, averted the "Day Zero" water crisis that made headlines earlier this year, but is the close call enough to change the city's water consumption habits? Sindiswa Lingela stands in the backyard of her home in Cape Town with the swimming pool that she fills with collected rainwater.
What happened to Cape Town’s drought?
The drought alarm first sounded during the summer of 2017. In 2018, Day Zero, the day Cape Town was going to turn off the taps, loomed over the city. In an unprecedented effort by all sectors of society, water consumption was more than halved and Day Zero was called off.
What is the day zero in Cape Town?
Why was Day Zero pushed back?
Why is Cape Town vulnerable to water shortages?
What is Day Zero?
Is Cape Town prepared for Day Zero?
Is Cape Town out of the woods?
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How did Cape Town deal with the water crisis?
According to News24, the city rolled out around 250,000 Water Management Devices (WMD) that set limits for water usage on properties. The devices took the place of traditional water meters and were programmed to shut off a property's water supply once it had reached the daily limit.
How did Cape Town move their day zero?
In June 2018, the region saw average rainfall for the first time in four years. With the rain, dam levels rose, and officials were able to call off Day Zero indefinitely. Cape Town's multi-pronged effort to stave off Day Zero succeeded. Still, the challenges to achieving water security persist.
How Cape Town beat the drought?
The city managed to develop a successful water savings campaign which stopped the taps from running dry in Cape Town. Had this not occurred, residents would have had faced severe restrictions on water use and their daily habits would have been upended.
How can we avoid zero day water?
Reusing water used for cooking to water plants, reusing the water used to wash cars for watering plants and cleaning front porches, reusing the water used to boil fruits and vegetables to water plants are some of the efficient ways to reuse and hence, save water.
How did Cape Town manage to push back their day zero countdown?
The city was able to avoid Day Zero – but only through a combination of aggressive water conservation and efficiency campaigns, and increased rainfall in 2018. Day Zero was pushed back by a full month due to restrictions in allocation of water to surrounding agricultural areas.
How did Cape Town not run out of water?
The City of Cape Town worked to get residents and businesses on board with a host of water-saving initiatives. People were instructed to shower for no longer than two minutes. A campaign with the slogan “If it's yellow, let it mellow” promoted flushing the toilet only when necessary.
When did Cape Town run out of water?
2018In 2018 Cape Town was on the precipice of becoming the world's first major metropolitan area to run out of water, prompting what officials referred to as "Day Zero." A combination of strict water rationing, infrastructure changes and above-average rainfall this year in the South African city has made those memories a ...
When did Cape Town drought end?
Significant droughts in other parts of South Africa ended in August 2016 when heavy rain and flooding occurred in the interior of the country, but the drought in the Western Cape remained.
What country will run out of water first?
According to current projections, Cape Town will run out of water in a matter of months. This coastal paradise of 4 million on the southern tip of South Africa is to become the first modern major city in the world to completely run dry.
What is the conclusion of drought in Cape Town?
Using new high-resolution simulations, researchers conclude that climate change made the Cape Town 'Day Zero' drought five to six times more likely and suggest extreme drought events could become common in southwestern South Africa by the end of the 21st century.
Where does Cape Town get its water from?
Cape Town is supplied by 14 dams with a collective capacity of approximately 900 000 Ml (900 000 000 000 litres). Most of this capacity is provided by six large dams: the Theewaterskloof, Voëlvlei, Berg River, Wemmershoek, and the Steenbras Upper and Lower dams.
What caused day zero?
Significance. The Cape Town “Day Zero” drought was caused by an exceptional 3-y rainfall deficit. Through the use of a higher-resolution climate model, our analysis further constrains previous work showing that anthropogenic climate change made this event five to six times more likely relative to the early 20th century ...
What does it mean when an area is reaching day zero?
As 2017 yielded to 2018, then-Mayor Patricia de Lille leveled with the public: “Day Zero”, when the water level of the major dams supplying the city reached 13.5%, would force the city to turn-off most of its water supply. This was anticipated to occur in April… three months away.
When did Cape Town drought end?
Significant droughts in other parts of South Africa ended in August 2016 when heavy rain and flooding occurred in the interior of the country, but the drought in the Western Cape remained.
Cape Town faces Day Zero: what happens when the city turns off the taps?
In 10 weeks engineers will turn off water for a million homes as this South African city reacts to a one-in-384-year drought. The rich are digging boreholes, more are panic-buying bottled water ...
What happened to Cape Town in 2015?
It all started in 2015, when the city of Cape Town experienced the onset of an unusually challenging and long-lasting drought. It played out as three consecutive years of low and unpredictable rainfall during the winter rainfall period. The drought mainly affected the Western Cape region, where Cape Town is the largest city with its four million inhabitants. Eventually, the drought caused severe water shortage in the entire region. The situation worsened, and in January 2018 the local government made an urgent call to residents and businesses to reduce their water usage, and started preparing contingency plans for a possible “Day Zero.” It seemed like Cape Town could become the first large metropolitan area to completely run out of water. But the apocalyptic scenario never happened. So how did Cape Town avoid it?
Where is the drought in Cape Town?
The drought mainly affected the Western Cape region, where Cape Town is the largest city with its four million inhabitants. Eventually, the drought caused severe water shortage in the entire region. The situation worsened, and in January 2018 the local government made an urgent call to residents and businesses to reduce their water usage, ...
How did the water crisis affect Cape Town?
During the water crisis, getting word out to residents was absolutely key, and the city used all available channels and platforms – even going into neighborhoods with loud hailers and recorded messages on the back of utility vehicles. The crisis dominated the discussion among citizens and the news, both locally and internationally. Under the tagline “ThinkWater” the city kept its inhabitants updated. All plans and actions taken, as well as behavior advice, were made available to stakeholders through an open source and open access format. The purpose was to raise awareness among all Cape Town residents and keep them working towards the same goal during the shortage period.
Is Cape Town a day zero?
Cape Town: Avoiding “Day Zero”. In many ways, climate change also means water change. And our water patterns are already noticeably affected by the onset of global warming. Cape Town is perhaps the most extreme example to date.
What happened on Day Zero in 2018?
In 2018, Day Zero, the day Cape Town was going to turn off the taps, loomed over the city. In an unprecedented effort by all sectors of society, water consumption was more than halved and Day Zero was called off. In an unprecedented effort by all sectors of society, water consumption was more than halved. When the winter rains finally arrived and ...
Where is the water collection point in Cape Town?
The water collection point in Newlands, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, has been upgraded to a permanent stand, with 16 taps to facilitate the tapping of spring water that originates from the Table Mountain aquifers.
How did Old Mutual respond to the water crisis?
On a much larger scale, one of the biggest corporations in South Africa, Old Mutual, responded to the crisis by building its own water filtration system, which has enabled the company to go off the water grid. With approximately 9,000 employees working at its campus in Cape Town, the Old Mutual office is like a small town.
When did Cape Town start water restrictions?
The City of Cape Town first adopted level 2 water restriction in January 2016. This was incrementally stepped up to level 6B, which included a ban on using any drinkable water for gardens, and limiting personal water usage to 87 litres per day. In practice, this meant that Capetonians restricted themselves to two toilet flushes and a 2-minute shower per person per day.
What is the Cape Town water pressure reduction?
This meant water pressure was dramatically reduced in the city 's pipe network, resulting in intermittent supply to high-lying areas.
Is Cape Town running out of water?
Cape Town is in the midst of its worst drought in more than a century and was set to run out of fresh water in April . On Wednesday the city announced that it should be able to avoid running dry in 2018 after a massive water saving campaign. It managed to reduce water consumption by more than half to 516 million litres per day ...
Implications Of Day Zero
Day Zero meant that the Cape Town municipality would embark on a water rationing exercise to save the scarce commodity. The main supplies of clean water for drinking are inland dams in various parts across the Western Cape Province. Due to the persistent drought in 2018 and previous years, the dams were running low in their water levels.
Significance Of Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is a viable strategy that can help you live off the local grid if you have sufficient storage facilities. The method is simple, and you can harvest fresh water that is ready for drinking and other domestic purposes. You do not require expensive chemicals to treat fresh rainwater.
Climate Change
The other thing that can cause water shortages especially in different parts of Sub Sahara Africa is climate change. The phenomenon of climate change is real, and some of the causes are a result of human activities. Certain activities like industrialization contribute toward the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Long Term Solutions To Climate Change
While commendable, the water saving strategies adopted by people following Day Zero are short term based. For instance, the practice of using water sparingly is short term based, and it cannot avert the recurrence of another dry spell in the region.
Why is Cape Town not on Day Zero?
Cape Town never actually reach “Day Zero,” in part because authorities implemented water restrictions throughout the period, banning outdoor and non-essential water use, encouraging toilet flushing with grey water and eventually limiting consumption to about 13 gallons per person in February 2018. That level of conservation was foreign to many residents of the coastal tourist destination and would likely be jarring to many in the U.S., where the average person goes through 80 to 100 gallons per day, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
How much did Cape Town lose in the day zero drought?
According to estimates, lower crop yields from the “Day Zero” drought caused an economic loss of about $400 million, in addition to tens of thousands of jobs.
What caused the day zero drought?
Using new high-resolution simulations, researchers from Stanford University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that human-caused climate change made the “Day Zero” drought in southwestern South Africa – named after the day, barely averted, when Cape Town’s municipal water supply would need to be shut off – five to six times more likely. Furthermore, such extreme events could go from being rare to common events by the end of the century, according to the study, published November 9 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Which countries have zero day droughts?
Preparing for the future. Other parts of the world with similar climates to South Africa – including California, southern Australia, southern Europe and parts of South America – could experience their own Zero Day droughts in the future, according to the researchers.
Is Cape Town a drought?
In a warming world, Cape Town’s ‘Day Zero’ drought won’t be an anomaly, Stanford researcher says. Using new high-resolution simulations, researchers conclude that climate change made the Cape Town ‘Day Zero’ drought five to six times more likely and suggest extreme drought events could become common in southwestern South Africa by the end ...
What region of South Africa has been plagued by drought for almost three years?
South Africa's Western Cape region had been plagued by drought for almost three years. In January, with dam levels ebbing dangerously, the city announced some of the most radical water restrictions ever seen.
How many people live in Cape Town?
Cape Town's townships are home to over a million people, dominated by public and informal housing. (Mary Lloyd )
How much water do Capetonians use?
Some wealthier Capetonians accused Africans in the city's informal townships of wasting water, even though most, as Dr Carden puts it, "have been living under Day Zero conditions their whole lives, using about 40 litres per person per day."
What is the difference between the Western Cape and the African National Congress?
The Western Cape is governed by the Democratic Alliance, while the African National Congress, which has been in power at the national level since the end of Apartheid, remains dominant everywhere else.
What percentage of NSW is in drought?
With 98 per cent of NSW in drought, the University of Western Sydney's Dr Ian Wright is among them. "Australia has an uncertain climate that looks like it may be becoming drier in the south, where the majority of the population live," he says.
When the rains finally broke over winter, filling the city's dams to 76 per cent, it?
When the rains finally broke over winter, filling the city's dams to 76 per cent, it was pushed back indefinitely.
Does Cape Town have water?
Cape Town residents have had limited access to water amid a drying climate
When is Day Zero in Cape Town?
In January 2018, when the concept of Day Zero became a reality, it was scheduled to occur on 22 nd April.
How was Day Zero averted?
Reducing water consumption was obviously critical in averting the crisis and the residents of Cape Town were challenged to do so in numerous ways.
How much did Day Zero drop in consumption?
However, it was the January 2018 announcement of an official date for Day Zero that really accelerated a behavioural change, in fact, the announcement alone resulted in a drop of 30% in residential consumption.
What was the first metropolis to run out of water?
Cape Town: How Day Zero was averted. In 2018, Cape Town became the world’s first metropolis to face the threat of running out of municipal water.
Is Cape Town experiencing rain?
In June 2018, in addition to the wide-ranging efforts of the community, Cape Town experienced average expected rainfall for the first time in four years. This helped to restock the city’s reservoirs and Day Zero was called off indefinitely.
What was the day Zero?
SHAPIRO: Day Zero was the city's term for the day the taps would run dry and people would have to line up to get water rations. This victory announcement came with one very big caveat.
What percentage of Cape Town's water is used by the city?
SHAPIRO: Even though 20 percent of the city's population lives in these conditions, they only use 4 percent of Cape Town's water.
What is the biggest township in Cape Town?
SHAPIRO: One-fifth of Cape Town's population lives in crowded, poor neighborhoods called townships. Khayelitsha is the biggest one in Cape Town, a place where water problems existed long before this drought.
Who grew up poor, witnessing drought firsthand?
SHAPIRO: Lingela grew up poor, witnessing drought firsthand. And she says that shaped her.
Is there a day zero in Cape Town?
Since then, the rains have been steady, and the dams are filling up. And remarkably, since Cape Town announced that there will be no Day Zero, people's water usage has stayed as low as it was when the drought was at its most severe.
Does Sindiswa Lingela go back to her old water habits?
SHAPIRO: But a lot of the people we met in Cape Town told us they have no plans to go back to their old water habits. Sindiswa Lingela travels a lot for her job in education. And when she's in a place where there's no drought, she still doesn't allow herself to fill up the bathtub for a long soak.
What is the day zero in Cape Town?
Cape Town, South Africa has now weathered a full year past its so-called “Day Zero,” the day when the municipal water supply for this major city was estimated to run out.
Why was Day Zero pushed back?
Day Zero was pushed back by a full month due to restrictions in allocation of water to surrounding agricultural areas. The city also saved water by implementing a steep tariff penalizing heavy users of water, prohibiting water for pools, lawns, and nonessential uses, and installing a new water pressure system.
Why is Cape Town vulnerable to water shortages?
Cape Town was also uniquely vulnerable because its excellent water conservation over the past few decades has allowed the city to grow without looking for more water, tightening its ability to cut back on water usage through efficiency. Cities in arid regions elsewhere, such as in central California, are similarly at risk for water scarcity if they depend largely on local rainfall when climate change is expected to prolong droughts. Diversifying the municipal water portfolio with water recycling, desalination, and groundwater can reduce risk of water shortages due to drought. Cape Town has also been investing in desalination plants and in groundwater projects which may help avoid another Day Zero. As water crises pop up all over the globe, we should be thinking about how we can create resilient water systems and encourage water-conserving behaviors such that we are prepared to avoid our own Day Zero.
What is Day Zero?
Day Zero was defined as the point at which stricter regulations would begin because defining Day Zero at 0% capacity would only prompt action from residents when it was too late. The city was able to avoid Day Zero – but only through a combination of aggressive water conservation and efficiency campaigns, and increased rainfall in 2018.
Is Cape Town prepared for Day Zero?
Fortunately, Cape Town residents may be more physical ly and mentally prepared for the next crisis. The Day Zero campaign remains in Cape Town local media and in their residents’ minds, especially for the more affluent residents who consume more media.
Is Cape Town out of the woods?
However, experts warn that Cape Town is not out of the woods just yet. As water supplies have improved and people exit the emergency mindset, water usage has crept back up, but future droughts are inevitable. Fortunately, Cape Town residents may be more physically and mentally prepared for the next crisis. The Day Zero campaign remains in Cape Town ...
