These shocking satellite images show how much Cape Town’s largest reservoir has dried up as the country faces a major water crisis.
Theewaterskloof Dam can hold around 480,000 megalitres, or 126 billion gallons and accounts for half the water held by dams in the region.
But due to severe drought and population growth it is now only 13 per cent full, down from 14 per cent last week.
Cape Town in South Africa is set to become the first major world city to run out of water as the worst drought in a century combined with rapid population growth driven by migration combine to run its main reservoir dry. Here satellite images show the dramatic difference between the reservoir level in 2011 (left) and last month (right)
Rapid population growth, driven largely by migration, has also put a huge strain on Cape Town’s resources. In 2000, a little less than 3million people lived in the city, today there are just less than 4million
Two years ago saw the first truly noticeable drop in the level of the reservoir, as the Western Cape suffers through a once-in-a-century drought, combined with population growth
Fast forward a year and the city’s water crisis is becoming readily apparent, with large parts of the top end of the reservoir already running dry
The images show the water level dramatically receding over several months as the earth around the dam turns from green to brown.
The city has ramped up already tough water restrictions in a bid to avoid what is being called ‘Day Zero’ – a day expected in mid April when the taps will run dry.
Residents will be asked to use no more than 50 liters of water daily, down from the current limit of 87 liters.
The use of city drinking water to wash vehicles, hose down paved areas, fill up private swimming pools and water gardens is illegal.
Residents using too much water will be fined or have devices that limit water supply installed on their properties as 70 per cent of water used in Cape Town is consumed in homes.
The city of four million has been struggling for several years with water shortages caused by climate change and huge population growth.
Cape Town is now fast approaching what has been dubbed ‘Day Zero’, the day when the water will be turned off. It is currently scheduled for mid-April
In January tough new restrictions were brought in to try and stave off Day Zero. Residents were limited to using just 87 liters of water per person per day, including drinking water. A typical shower uses 15 liters per minute
Bottled water is being rationed in shops in Cape Town to prevent panic-buying and hoarding as the drought-ridden city faces ‘the worst crisis since 9/11’ ahead of its taps running dry. People are pictured queuing to collect water in the city last week
Political factions are also bickering about alleged failures to respond to warnings years ago about a looming water crisis.
‘Day Zero,’ set for April 16, would occur if the average level of reservoirs serving the city falls below 13.5 percent. The average level has dropped to 26 percent.
Authorities said they will take over management on Thursday of a source of natural spring water where residents have converged, sometimes chaotically, to collect water.
One person was detained at the Newlands neighborhood site after a fight broke out this week, and noise and traffic congestion around the clock have disturbed neighbors and an adjacent home for the elderly, the city said.
Private security guards already monitor people with plastic containers at another natural spring location at a South African Breweries facility in Newlands.
The possibility that most city taps might have to be shut off has raised concerns about security, and police and the military are expected to help secure water collection sites if ‘Day Zero’ occurs.
A South African parliamentary committee said it will ask the government to ‘rein in unscrupulous traders’ who have raised the price of bottled water to take advantage of the crisis. Poor people will suffer the most from price gouging, the trade and industry committee said.
Cape Town’s main water supply is from the Theewaterskloof dam (pictured) outside Grabouw. A harsh drought may force South Africa’s showcase city to turn off most of its taps
A warning of ‘the threat to social order’ in the wake of the water crisis was predicted by Moody’s credit ratings agency. Pictures show how water has receded at one of the city’s key supplies, the Theewaterskloof dam
Water shortages also have hit Cape Town’s hospitality industry, whose leaders are urging hotels to consider switching to salt water instead of fresh water in swimming pools and want restaurants to skip linen napkins that would have to be laundered and rethink menus and food preparation.
They recommend fewer pasta dishes because they require a lot of water to make, and suggest steaming vegetables instead of boiling them.
While tourism officials have reported some visitor cancellations, several events are going ahead as planned.
Thousands of delegates are expected at a mining industry conference next week. Organizers of the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which raises money for charity and attracts thousands of participants, say their March ride won’t use any municipal water and will rely on its own supply. An international jazz festival is scheduled for March.
While other international cities have faced water shortages, Cape Town’s situation is more extreme and an effective handling of the situation could serve as a global model, said Sisa Ntshona, CEO of the South African Tourism agency.
‘We are actually the guinea pigs to the world as to how to overcome this,’ he said.