Where It All Began

Day Zero and Water Heroes

It seems that the water crisis in Cape Town is getting more and more traction across the globe, but now the focus has shifted from the rather sensationalist ‘death of Cape Town’ to the more important story of how Cape Town has not only bucked the global trend but is actually leading the world in water conservation and strategy.

We were most interested to discover this article in, of all places, the Los Angeles Timesm which makes the case that Cape Town’s management, and most particularly the citizens personal and unwaivering engagement with water conservation, has actually put California (and for that matter Australia) to shame.  This remarkable achievement was not an easy battle: it involved very clever social media and marketing campaigns directed at different communities in different ways as well as a strong stick in the form of water police and heft fines for using municipal water.

Capetonians have done something unprecedented and truly remarkable: the entire city has in the space of six months reduced its water consumption by over 50%.  No city on the planet has managed this ever. It makes such a refreshing change to see Africa finally being reported as a world leader and shining example, rather than the usual disaster rhetoric that gets churned out in the world’s media.

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-south-africa-drought-20180401-story.html