The coined “Day Zero” was initially to be expected this April, and with careful conservation of water, it was later pushed back to May 11.
This past week, however, Day Zero was pushed back to 2019, with no official prediction date.
Officials have stated that when Day Zero arrives, the government will turn off the pipes and begin rationing water.
Since the initial prediction, the city asked everyone to use less water, but over half the population ignored the warning.
“We’re using too much water, and we can’t contain it.
It’s tragic.” Cape Town recognized 20 years ago that this dreaded future may soon arrive.
Though the city’s population nearly doubled during this time, Cape Town excelled at managing its water resources.
As my colloquium professor would say, the city was managing its problem during the good times, but failed to prepare for a change in weather.
Day Zero in Cape Town may have been pushed back, but it’s still coming.
Cape Town isn’t the only major city in the world fighting a water crisis.