Capetonians Pull Together to Push Day Zero Back to 9 July 2018

Great news from Cape Town, as the continued efforts by residents of the Mother City to cut down on water usage have enabled authorities to push back Day Zero – when taps will be turned off – another month from 4 June to 9 July 2018.

A “delighted” Mmusi Maimane – Leader of the Democratic Alliance – said “the reduced consumption that continues to be sustained by Capetonians is the primary reason that we are able to celebrate this achievement this week.

“While we have not yet reached the target of 450 megalitres per day, we have together brought down our daily usage by 3 megalitres which is an encouraging step in the right direction. Over the past week, consumption has averaged 523 ML per day.

“We must all continue to use under 50L per day so that Day Zero can be pushed even further back and it can be defeated altogether.

“It is this commitment and resilience that will enable us to together defeat Day Zero this year.”

Maimane also thanked the private water transfer providers from Groenland, whose water transfer has “significantly helped” to push back Day Zero this week.

Maimane said: “I am enormously grateful for their commitment to the people of the Western Cape. They have joined many businesses, as well as the agricultural sector, in making a huge effort to cut consumption and Defeat Day Zero.

“Congratulations and thank you to all the Day Zero heroes for your selfless efforts to defeat Day Zero.”

This man, photographed in Cape Town, captured the essence of the gratitude felt by Capetonians for some welcome rain last week:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155009065261879&set=a.469029581878.250007.528206878&type=3&theater

An elated Robyn Gwilt said Fish Hoek received a total of 10mm. The Western Cape photographer said: “I stood. I swam. I recorded the sound of my rain tank filling with roof water… And then, just like that it was gone!!”

Cape Town residents are urged to continue saving and trying to cut down their water usage.