Abstract
In late 2017, after years of declining dam levels and scarce rain, the city of Cape Town, South Africa, was in a severe water crisis. The government warned of Day Zero, when water levels would be so low it would have to cut off household access. In anticipation, it diverted water from agriculture and limited residents to 50 L of precious liquid per day. Residents did their part by recycling laundry water, taking fewer showers, and sanitizing instead of washing their hands. The campaign worked: by June 2018, the drought had eased enough for officials to call off the emergency. In the meantime, residents had become much more efficient with their water use, and the city had adopted effective water-saving strategies, such as reducing water pressure. The specter of a Day Zero still looms for Cape Town and for many places around the planet. In part because of climate change,
Published Version
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