Cape Town Getting Ready to Shut Off the Water

Started by SGOS, January 20, 2018, 09:59:09 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

SGOS

This sounds more dire than the current California drought.  Or they may be sounding an alert for a worst case scenario.  At any rate, it sounds like a potential nightmare.

https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/its-true-cape-towns-water-supply-three-months-away-shutdown

April 21, according to recent projections from the Western Cape Water Supply District.

“Day Zero is the day that the water resource system runs out of water,” said Mark New, the AXA Research Chair in African Climate Risk at the University of Cape Town, in an email. What does this mean? “No water coming out the taps. Toilets cannot be flushed. Fire services cannot get water out of the fire hydrants. People will have to walk to water tankers to fill up drinking water bottles.” And there will be knock-on effects, such as schools considering whether they can operate with no water on campus.

According to New, there are three main strategiesâ€"over and above the extreme water restrictions already in placeâ€"to try and forestall Day Zero:
•Drilling and tapping emergency groundwater supplies
•Bringing several portable desalinization plants on line
•Cutting off water to neighborhoods for periods of each day, to reduce demand even further.

“It is not clear whether the groundwater and desalination options will be operating in time, and with sufficient quantity, to make a difference,” he said. Even then, the supply could still run short, as evident in Figure 2 below.

Cape Town currently supplies its residents with about 600 million liters of water a day, which is down significantly from just a few months ago as a result of demand management. The new desalination plantsâ€"which convert seawater into drinking water by extracting saltâ€"would together provide no more than about 10 million liters per day. Tapping groundwater at various depths could help a great deal more, providing as much as 150 million liters/day by April, according to Piotr Wolski, a hydroclimate expert at the University of Cape Town. Even then, Figure 2 shows that Day Zero would still arrive by early May unless conservation is ramped up and/or the winter rains are prompt and heavy.


Gawdzilla Sama

"A fair and just heavenly punishment for the US allowing gay marriage." Pope Francis.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

#2
Quote from: SGOS on January 20, 2018, 09:59:09 AMAccording to New, there are three main strategiesâ€"over and above the extreme water restrictions already in placeâ€"to try and forestall Day Zero:
•Drilling and tapping emergency groundwater supplies
•Bringing several portable desalinization plants on line
•Cutting off water to neighborhoods for periods of each day, to reduce demand even further.
Wouldn't sporadically cutting off water just encourage hoarding?

I remember a few years ago in NC we had a gasoline shortage due to a hurricane temporarily shutting down Texan refineries.  Some pumps ran dry.  Instead of conserving gas to compensate, people mobbed the remaining gas stations and stockpiled.  Shockingly, this behavior made the problem worse, not better.

Gawdzilla Sama

The shut-offs should be on a regular, predictable schedule. You run your washer before 11 AM or wait until 1 PM to get the clothes rinsed. Don't have to hoard because it won't be off for days.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

SGOS

Quote from: Hydra009 on January 20, 2018, 11:18:39 AM
Wouldn't sporadically cutting off water just encourage hoarding?
I'm sure it would.  It may have a minimal effect on conservation, I suppose.  But people are going to stockpile if they are given the chance, especially when things get serious.  If the situation is just "tight," you can fine lawn waterers, because you can see them doing it.  They did that in my town in Montana one summer.  I think it helped.  Neighbors would report abusers.  We didn't run out, anyway.

On my trip to Hawaii, which took just over three weeks, I only utilized 20 gallons of my 150 gallon water tank.  I didn't take any showers, but I was amazed at how little I got by on.  I used sea water to wash dishes and clean.  But in a house, people don't think about it.  Lots of water goes straight from the faucet to the drain.  One toilet flush uses more than you could drink in a day.  Water your lawn?  I really don't know how much that consumes. 

Baruch

S Africa is near the Namib Desert ... so go figure ;-(
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

People have been predicting for years that many parts of the world would soon be fighting over water. I guess they were right. South Africa may not be fighting a war over it yet, but I bet it won't be long.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Unbeliever

God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on January 20, 2018, 04:06:01 PM
Here's a link about water wars:


https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/coming-water-wars

Easy, bottle good public property water and sell it for more than gasoline sells for per pint.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on January 20, 2018, 04:01:16 PM
People have been predicting for years that many parts of the world would soon be fighting over water. I guess they were right. South Africa may not be fighting a war over it yet, but I bet it won't be long.

Knowing the US, we will declare a war against drought, and lose the war.  Certainly the declared war against desertification is being lost.  Like Vietnam, the point isn't to win, but to make money while losing.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on January 20, 2018, 04:08:32 PM
Well, now some people like to drink "raw" water:


https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/raw-water-dangerous-natural-food-fad-promises-health-gives-diarrhea-ncna837381

There are cheap water filters, that we provide to Third World people ... we will need this in the US.  Think Russia or China will send us foreign aid?
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Draconic Aiur

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on January 20, 2018, 10:56:37 AM
"A fair and just heavenly punishment for the US allowing gay marriage." Pope Francis.

When did he say that?

Hydra009

Quote from: Unbeliever on January 20, 2018, 04:08:32 PM
Well, now some people like to drink "raw" water:


https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/raw-water-dangerous-natural-food-fad-promises-health-gives-diarrhea-ncna837381
So...I could've made serious money if only I had the bright idea to sell people untreated water?  My lack of imagination is holding me back.  And my conscience.  And laws (I would hope).

Hakurei Reimu

Raw water? Fucking hell!

Cape Town is surrounded by raw water. Ocean water. These raw water idiots are invited to live off this raw water and see how long they last. They are literally too stupid to live.
Warning: Don't Tease The Miko!
(she bites!)
Spinny Miko Avatar shamelessly ripped off from Iosys' Neko Miko Reimu