Losing waters | Daily News

Losing waters

Local authorities have warned its 4 million inhabitants that if they do not reduce consumption by “day zero” – April 12– they will have to queue at 200 standpipes for daily rations of 25 litres (6.6 US gallons) due to the worst drought to hit South Africa’s second city in almost a century.

Farmers have been asked to cut back on irrigation, car hire firms have stopped washing cars, hotels have restricted all uses of water, while tourists in self-catering accommodation have been asked to restrict personal washing. Discussions are under way with the South African armed forces to enable water to be stored on military bases.

The full impact of a major global city losing its piped potable water supply is unknown.

Reservoirs around Cape Town, in the grip of its worst drought for a century, have gone largely unreplenished for more than three years in the absence of significant rainfall and are about to run dry.

Queues are forming at natural springs around the city as residents seek to minimise main usage and build up emergency supplies.

Much of Southern Africa recovered from a drought induced by the El Niño weather phenomenon after heavy rain in the summer. But Cape Town receives most of its rain in the southern hemisphere’s winter – and scientists say there is no guarantee of a good rainy season.

Many of Cape Town’s wealthier residents will be able to leave the city to stay with relatives or friends elsewhere, or even travel abroad.

No such option exists for the millions living in the city’s sprawling poorer neighbourhoods.

A range of factors is thought to have aggravated the drought, including a surging population and economic development, poor long-term planning, limited investment in water management, and invasive “thirsty” species.

Cape Town is quite used to surviving dry years. Water restrictions get it through and then dams refill, thanks to the wet years that follow. But this time it’s different. Never in recorded history has Cape Town encountered a drought of such severity for three consecutive years.

What do long-term data reveal about Cape Town’s water shortage?

The origins of the settlement that became known as Cape Town are intimately tied to water.

As the area’s indigenous inhabitants had undoubtedly done, main reasons for choosing this area to settle was the ample supply of fresh water, running from a network of springs and streams around Table Mountain.

It did not take long, however, before the settlement started experiencing water shortages and pollution problems. As early as 1655 instructions were broadcast to minimise the pollution of a water supply that was used both by residents and by ships calling at Table Bay.

By the 1850s, the first major interventions had been built in the form of two reservoirs, still in use, that can be seen in De Waal Park.

Looking back over the history of Cape Town and the surrounds, one can see a series of management interventions evolving into the modern-day intricate network of water supply called the Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS). Over time, the little VOC refreshment station with its network of grachts (canals) developed into a complex regional network that integrates the City of Cape Town, the West Coast District Municipality as well as the Swartland, Saldanha Bay, Bergrivier and Stellenbosch Local Municipalities.

On the demand side, it is estimated that approximately 70% of water in the WCWSS gets allocated to urban and industrial users and 30% to agriculture.

Relevance to Sri Lanka

This article shows the frightening consequences if a water shortage affects a major city. An honest assessment with recommendations for the establishment of a Water Security Council in Sri Lanka has been languishing for the past few years.

Weather patterns are changing around the world with catastrophic consequences.

Urbanization is rapid and on-going. We do not want a situation similar to that of Cape Town.

The remedy is at hand. We must act and with foresight in the manner set out for the Cabinet paper awaiting attention. 


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