South Africa's Cape Town Out of Water in 3 Months?

[LAOIL + 33]

So, with all this talk about 'peak oil' and energy consumption, some scary news about our most precious natural resource--water. I had not idea that Cape Town, South Africa will run out of water entirely in less than 3 months. Can anyone imagine?

[Selvedina + 39]

I can't imagine using only 50 liters of water per person, per day, such as residents of this town have to do now. In my house it was be like a mission impossible. 

[Vlad Kovalenko + 96]

Unfortunately it will be hard to change this situation in Cape Town. Not even money can help here. Nothing without rain from the sky. 

[Vlad Kovalenko + 96]

Well I see the date being brought forward as it gets closer to D-day. First it was expected to run out of water  at 21 April. Probably to avoid panic and get people use water to full rain tanks as a stock pile. 

[Rodent + 1,127]

South African National Bottled Water Association has pointed out that bottled water could be provided cheaper if they overlooked the regulations that require bottled water to have labels. I understand regulations, but when it might be death, I'm thinking labels are unimportant.

My money is on someone profiting big time from this crisis, however. 

[TraderTate + 181]

Kabul, too. Though we probably are less surprised at that one. 

[franco + 96]

Isn’t CapeTown on the water? Like, on the ocean?! Why isn’t there a desalination facility there? Why do these guys wait for there to be a crisis?

[Pavel + 197]

I agree with you. If you run out of something in your fridge -  milk, eggs, juice - it’s your own fault.

[damirUSBiH + 217]

Since city has grown by 33% since 2011, is the lack of water really due entirely to global warming..

[franco + 96]

Israel has solved their water constraints by building desalination plants. What has Capetown done in order to put itself in this situation? Nothing.

[Petar + 76]

Such a water limit, for a modern city, is unprecedented. It covers the bare minimum for cooking, drinking, washing, and sanitation.

[Missy + 42]

one flush per day... hmmm.....

[Rodent + 1,127]

I see they are against handwashing. Between one flush daily and no handwashing, it's just a disease waiting to happen. I see no quick end to the troubles. This will be ammunition to the climate change movement for sure.

[Kate Turlington + 44]

I see they've managed to delay running out of water entirely for a little bit as a result of agriculture cutting down ... not that that's a real solution. So, more water, less food?

[Carlsbad + 19]

It just rained in Cape Town, so another slight reprieve.

 

[Rodent + 1,127]

It's supposed to rain again tomorrow, too. Although with such a long-lasting drought, I wonder if the rain will cause flooding. Not sure how much rain they are expecting.

[franco + 96]

 Desalination is perhaps the most popular solution. But it may well be our least practical to help ease the water crisis.

[Pavel + 197]

After Cape Town, Maputo may be Africa's next major city to run out of water. Drought shrinks rivers that supply city, surrounding towns. Water restrictions soon. 

[damirUSBiH + 217]

Some projections show It will have to rain for 40 days and 40 nights to fill up the reservoirs....

[franco + 96]

No that’s what happens when you mismanage your resources and fail to do anything about it. Cape Town is situated on the coast and can easily do what Israel is doing but they don’t.

[Rodent + 1,127]

4 minutes ago, damirUSBiH said:

Some projections show It will have to rain for 40 days and 40 nights to fill up the reservoirs....

So then it's a crap shoot on whether their time and money is more wisely spent on a water desalinating project or an ark.

[Petar + 76]

I believe the scientists, there will not be enough drinking water in the world fairly soon and it will cause chaos and wars. 

[Rodent + 1,127]

1 minute ago, Petar said:

I believe the scientists, there will not be enough drinking water in the world fairly soon and it will cause chaos and wars. 

Two words: Mad and Max