Mother Jones: S Africa Leadership, Climate Crisis
The metropolitan area of Cape Town has about 4 million people, and officials warn that the city’s water supply, dependent on rainfall, could go dry in April. Droughts, poor planning, population growth, urban migration and high consumption rates contribute to water supply challenges in Cape Town. Restrictions of 50 liters per day have been imposed for residents, but compliance has been uneven. About 50 percent of residents are conserving, and 30 percent continue to engage in over-consumption. If rain does not fall, the city will end supply for all but essential locations like hospitals, and residents and businesses will be directed to water distribution centers. Questions abound about the city’s ability to distribute water and maintain order as well as the ability of residents, especially the poor or elderly, to collect and carry water home. The city continues to work on details of its emergeny plan. Recharging the dams would require three years of adequate rain. Other major cities could experience similar water shortages and should use the Cape Town crisis as a warning to prepare for avoiding conflicts and panic. – YaleGlobal
Mother Jones: S Africa Leadership, Climate Crisis
Severe drought has reduced Cape Town’s water supply; city officials impose restrictions and plan for dry taps and water distribution centers before April
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Read the article on the water shortage in Cape Town from Mother Jones.
Nathalie Baptiste is a reporter in Washington, DC.
Read a website that uses city data to monitor the water crisis in Cape Town.
Read about Cape Town’s emergency plan from Circle of Blue.
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