South Africa water crisis poses a difficult dilemma

Discussion in 'Africa' started by kazenatsu, Feb 1, 2018.

  1. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Cape Town, South Africa's largest city, is 90 days away from running out of water:




    Yet the reservoir is still letting out water for farms:



    Some are asking whether it makes since to be supplying water for farms, which require intense water usage, when the city is so close to running out of water. It takes a lot of water to grow crops. For example, in California which has a very similar climate to South Africa, it's estimated that it takes 1 gallon of water (or 4 liters) to grow just a single almond. It takes 57 liters of water to grow a single pear fruit.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2018
  2. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    Cape Town is about to run out of water...
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    A major South African city is about to run out of water, and officials say it will be the worst disaster since 9/11
    1 Feb,`18 - Cape Town, a coastal South African city of about 4 million people, is about to run out of fresh water.
     
  3. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    The whole world is drying up...
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    The people of Cape Town are running out of water—and they’re not alone
    13 Mar.`18 - Day Zero: that’s the ominous label officials in Cape Town have bestowed on the day that water will run out. A three year drought in the region drained reservoirs faster than expected. They were full at the start of 2014, but estimates from the end of January 2018 show that water levels are now at 26 percent of capacity. When the level drops to 13.5 percent, officials plan to shut off pipes and start controlling water distribution to residents. Cape Town’s residents will receive a daily ration of 25 liters of water—the average American, by contrast, uses fifteen times as much per day. A black market is sure to emerge, but the city’s poorest, who have long been bearing the brunt of this crisis, will probably not be able to afford the exorbitant prices.
     
  4. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

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    World water shortages could affect 5 billion by 2050...
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    World water shortages could affect 5 billion by 2050: U.N. report
    March 19, 2018 -- About half the world's population could be affected by severe water shortages in the next 30 years due to a number of factors, including climate change, a United Nations report said Monday.
     

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