While reports of cities running out of water worldwide are streaming in, some cities are learning to cope. Somewhat perplexing, these places often also suffer from drought, have to cope with more people and manage with old and creaky pipes. Yet sometimes, without having to immediately find more water, the people that live there don’t suffer for it. These places …
The map that helped save Cape Town
Around 2016 to 2018 an extraordinary drought swept through Cape Town. The effect on the famous city was so severe, officials asked residents to stick to dramatic water restrictions. Capetonians had to limit their household water use to 50 litres of water per person per day. Across the world, people sat up and took notice; especially when the mayor announced …
Lessons from Cape Town’s Day Zero
Cape Town made international headlines in 2018 when the mayor announced it could soon run out of enough water. That day, “Day Zero” never arrived, but South Africa’s water crisis still paints a bleak future. Gareth Morgan, the City of Cape Town’s Director for Resilience, shared the lessons Cape Town learned from Day Zero, and how they are building a …
Durban plans to keep it informal
Embracing informal settlements and nature are part of the dramatic transformation that could be part of Durban’s development plans.
Too little, too dirty, too much, at the wrong time and place: South Africa’s water crisis
South Africa’s ‘looming’ water crisis crashed onto international front pages that day when Cape Town announced it might run out of water. However, many would say a major catastrophe has been hiding in clear sight for decades. We are running out of water. Digging into the details, it’s clear the crisis hasn’t been looming for a long time already. South …
How did cities develop, and what went wrong?
A trickling stream runs invitingly over a smooth, brown pebble bed, calling thirsty passers-by in its wake. But to those that can still hear it, the sound is a cruel reminder of better times gone by. It’s been a long time since the water was clean enough to drink. Not far away, there is a tap, connected to a row …
20 lessons from São Paulo’s Day Zero
I say Day Zero, you say? Cape Town. But Cape Town is not alone. For South Africans (like me), Day Zero is that day that Cape Town runs out of water. Recently, Capetonians faced each day with 50 liters of water, a crisis ignited by a drought like almost never before. Day Zero would have been triggered when dam levels …