CAPE TOWN: Cape Town, South Africa's major tourist destination, may run out of water by April thereby forcing residents to join queues for emergency rations. "Day Zero" - the date taps are due to run dry - has been fixed to April 22 as city authorities race to build desalination plants and drill underground boreholes.
Almost 2 million tourists flock to Cape Town every year. Travel and tourism accounted for an estimated 9 per cent or 412 billion rand ($33 billion) of South Africa's economic output last year. "At the current rate the city is likely to reach Day Zero on 22 April," said councilor Xanthea Limberg, Cape Town's mayoral committee member for water. "There is a real risk that residents will have to queue."
Limberg said the dire situation was being worsened by some people ignoring a push for residents and visitors to use no more than 87 litres of water per person per day. Cape Town is home to many wealthy residents who have swimming pools and sprinkler systems, although the city does not want to play a "blame game" as lots of affluent residents are saving water, she said. Businesses in the hospitality industry also say they are trying to help, limiting showers to two minutes and using water used for washing dishes and clothes to water gardens.
Authorities want to reduce the city's consumption to 500 million litres a day - half the amount used two years ago. "Everyone is taking as many steps and measures that they possibly can to try and make sure we don't reach Day Zero," said Gabrielle Bolton, spokeswoman for the five-star Belmond Mount Nelson hotel.
