Cape Town Water Crisis Hits Home For Ernst Van Dyk

The tap is turned on and water comes spraying out. The water is allowed to run until it becomes a tolerable temperature. Even still, there is no rush to step into the shower. Once inside, there is no time limit to cleanse oneself.
Now, imagine turning on the tap and waiting for the water to come. But it doesn’t. Brushing your teeth, taking a shower, cooking, cleaning, and simply drinking one of life’s necessities is now an inconvenience if even accessible at all.
By 2019, the four million residents of Cape Town, South Africa, may have to wait in line under the watchful eye of armed guards to collect water rations. Cape Town is rapidly approaching “Day Zero” when the taps are shut off and water becomes scarce.
“It’s hard to even think about since we are talking about four million people in this area,” said Ernst van Dyk, a wheelchair racer and handcyclist. “We have built up a decent supply of bottled drinking water. That, along with what we have in our pool and what used to be a koi pond should last us around two or three months (should the taps get turned off).”

Ernst van Dyk won his fourth-straight NYC Half men’s wheelchair division title in March

In 2014, the six reservoirs in the area — which can hold up to 230 billion gallons of water — were full, but three years of drought, coupled with overdevelopment, population growth, and climate change, quickly dried up the supply. According to NASA data, reservoirs are at 26 percent capacity with Theewaterskloof Dam, the city’s main water supplier, in the worst shape. City officials will turn off the taps when the reservoirs reach 13.5 percent.
“I’m afraid we’re at the 11th hour,” South African resource management expert Anthony Turton told National Geographic. “There is no more time for solutions. We need an act of God. We need divine intervention.”
Sanctions regarding water consumption have been enacted in Cape Town. Officials, who are making plans to store emergency water at military installations, say using taps to fill pools, water gardens, or wash cars is now illegal.

A Cape Town resident walks away with jugs of clean water

The city has urged residents to limit their water consumption to 50 liters (approximately 13 gallons) per day — less than one-sixth of what the average American uses. Van Dyk, who was born, raised, and still resides in the Western Cape, said he and his family take 90-second showers, do laundry once per week, and use paper plates on the weekends to cut down on dirty dishes. They are unable to tend to their garden or lawn.
Van Dyk, who won his record-setting fourth consecutive NYC Half Marathon men’s wheelchair division title in March, has had to sell his koi, a collection he’s been building over the past 12 years, including many fish he’s hand selected personally in Japan. The covered pond now serves as a backup water supply. Same goes for the pool, which remains covered to prevent evaporation.
The family has even decided to sell their current house and will be investing in building a new house that can recycle water and will be as green as possible.
“Everybody in the Western Cape has had to relook at how we use water,” van Dyk said.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.