Conserve water
Nearly four million people in Cape Town are being asked to limit their water usage to 87 litres a day, but from February 1 this will be further restricted to 50 litres, or the equivalent of four toilet flushes. As the city struggles to fully run out of water, the basic lesson other cities can learn from this is to save water.
There should be a behavioural change so that people can conserve water, before, during, and after a crisis. Flushing toilets unnecessarily, having long showers and using a lot of water during laundry – which are the usual practices for people in cities – should be checked. Cities should also reduce indoor water use through more efficient appliances and technologies.
Drought-tolerant landscape design and improved irrigation technologies should also not be overlooked. Recycling and reuse of water should be encouraged. And all of these should be spearheaded by the government and local authorities.
