Drought Impacts and Water Management in Semi-Arid Regions: Analyzing Cape Town, South Africa’s ‘Day Zero’

Keywords: climate change, water policy, drought, South Africa, Cape Town, Day Zero
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 56

Abstract

Climate change impacts on hydrologic systems, coupled with increasing water demand and a growing global population, has led to depleting water resources in semi-arid regions around the world. One such region impacted by water scarcity is the Western Cape of South Africa, notably Cape Town, whose drought crisis reached peak recognition when the city released its notice of ‘Day Zero.’ Understanding what led Cape Town to this breaking point, and determining the practicality of the strategies and adaptations the city undertook in response, is crucial as droughts become more common going forward. This study examines the changes in rainfall, dam levels, population, and water usage over the 2015-2018 drought in Cape Town, and evaluates policy decisions and restrictions implemented in response to this event. We analyzed the correlation between daily dam levels and rainfall data across various locations in the Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS), as well as changes in population and water usage. Additionally, we categorized the policies and actions taken (as efficiency improvements vs. restrictions) and considered length of implementation. While there was a slight correlation between rainfall and dam levels on several of the dams, an increase in population and stable water usage suggest a more complex narrative for the decrease in water supply in the years leading up to Day Zero. Conclusions of this study concerning Cape Town’s water management can act as a case study for all semi-arid regions in the future as climate change impacts continue to worsen.