The World's First Major City Will Run Out Of Water In 90 Days

After three years of persistent drought, the City of Cape Town may soon be the first major city in the world to run out of water.

At present, Cape Town has less than 90 days of water left in its storage dams and reservoirs. Over the last year, city officials have repeatedly warned that residents must cut down on water usage or face the reality of taps running dry.

Cape Town is now out of its rainy season, and the traditionally wet winter, which many were hoping would provide a last-minute reprieve, never arrived. Now, the city has scrambled to introduce new water into the system, by drilling into aquifers and building desalination plants, but this will have little impact on the overall amount of water that is available in the system.

Officials have dubbed the impending water crisis Day Zero, which is the day when all major taps throughout the city will be turned off. Residents will then have to report to water points daily, where they can collect a maximum of 25 litres (5.5 gallons). In what sounds like a scene out of an apocalyptic film, these water points will be strictly controlled by armed guards to ensure that everyone cooperates with the restrictions.

At present, the only way that the city will avoid this disaster scenario is if residents and visitors drastically cut daily water consumption. Each household is currently only permitted to use 87 litres (19 gallons) per day. This means limiting showers to below two minutes, collecting grey water from all washing machines and dishwashers, no watering of gardens and not flushing toilets unless absolutely essential. Buckets are now in place in gym showers throughout the province, many public restrooms offer only waterless hand sanitisers and most restaurants and hotels have erected signage warning patrons of the dire situation.

In spite of the severity of the crisis, the city says that only 54% of residents are adhering to the restrictions. This, combined with increased evaporation due to summer sunshine and seasonal winds, means Day Zero, which is currently April 22, may well need to be brought even further forward.

What were once believed to be scare tactics on behalf of the city are now widely considered to be an unavoidable reality. Should residents and visitors fail to drastically reduce water usage across the board, the city of Cape Town will soon make world headlines as one of the first major cities to totally run out of water.

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.