Cape Town, climate and the water crisis
- Laureen Fagan
- May 18, 2017
- 1 min read
The water crisis and unrelenting drought in Cape Town, South Africa, have become so dire that city officials on Tuesday recommended the highest level of water restrictions for its nearly 4 million people.
“This is not a drill,” the city said, in a public message clearly marked as a drought crisis warning. It urges residents to immediately use only minimal water for essential drinking, cooking and washing.
Cape Town says it is perilously close to levels so low in its system of water-supply dams and reservoirs that the remaining water is unusable. The city has begun dredging operations to Voëlvlei Dam and plans to implement them at Theewaterskloof Dam, in order to prepare for low-level water extraction.
The long, hot and cruelly dry season has continued into autumn without relief. Dam levels are now at 21.2 percent of their storage levels, down another 0.8 percent from a week ago. But that last 10 percent is residual and engineers and authorities don’t consider it usable – so effectively, Cape Town’s water reserves are now at 11 percent and municipal officials still can’t get consumption levels below targets.
JB Dodane