Cape Town came close to Day Zero in 2018, when severe drought threatened to shut off the city’s taps and force residents to collect a daily water ration. Restrictions eventually limited consumption to 50 litres per person per day, transforming how Capetonians used and valued water.
The crisis also exposed deep inequalities. While residents in the city centre adapted to restrictions, many people in Cape Town’s townships already lived without running water at home. At the same time, the city searched for alternatives to its heavy reliance on rainfall and surface dams.
Groundwater, water recycling, desalination, biofiltration and hydroponic farming offered different ways to reduce demand and reuse available resources. Day Zero was ultimately avoided as residents cut their water consumption by half.
Cape Town’s experience raises a simple question: how should we value and manage the water we have?
Documentary: Cape Town Facing Day Zero
Directed by: Miléna Mathèz-Loïc
Production: Ushuaïa TV – Mona Lisa Production (2020)
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