“Day Zero” is the date when South Africa’s second largest city of 3.7 million people will have its taps turned off and residents will be forced to queue at government water stations to access water.
The current drought situation is the first of its kind in the history of South Africa’s climate.
Due to a recent decline in the drop of dam levels, from 1.9% to 0.5%, the date has been pushed forward to the 9th of July. Although water consumption in Cape Town has improved from 1,130 megalitres per day (MLD) in 2014 to 523 MLD today, it is still far from the target of 450 MLD which would avoid the water crisis.
The Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, Ian Neilson told News24 South Africa: “The push-back was attributed to Groenland water reaching Steenbras Upper Dam”. He is wary that this news will increase water consumption and reverse the positive effect.
It is predicted that the “Day Zero” date will be moved back again once the transfer of water between the Groenland and Steenbras dams has been completed.
Residents in Cape Town are, however, still urged to continue the level 6 water restrictions which limits each person in the city to 50 litres per day. Households which do not adhere to these restrictions are publicly shamed in newspapers and receive expensive water tariffs from local councils.
According to the organisation Home Water Works, the average household toilet uses between 6 and 13 litres of water per flush, which along with cooking and washing leaves residents with little water for drinking.
These water limits and the possibility of adding pressure to the scarce water source are stopping travellers from visiting Cape Town.
“Tourists will be discouraged from taking a bath or lengthy showers, but water is still flowing through the taps, hotels and guesthouses have installed water-saving devices and restaurants and wine farms all remain open”, says Laurianne A Claase, South African travel writer and photojournalist.
The City of Cape Town council continues to work towards offering alternative water sources which include the extraction of ground water, recycling and the desalination of sea water.
“Over the past three weeks, Day Zero has been pushed out three times. Day Zero might not happen this year, but that doesn’t mean that we’re in the clear. Enhanced and prolonged drought is one of the ways that South Africa will experience the effects of climate change,” explains Candice Mckechnie, Head of Weather Department, Weather Forecaster and Anchor at eNCA.
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