At that stage, there were five days worth of water left in Churchill Dam, none in Impofu Dam and 18 in the Kouga Loerie scheme — provided special permission for the city to continue over-extracting its quota could be extended.
Borehole projects started years ago are not yet operating, neither are projects to augment pump capacity in the reticulation system to get water across the whole city.
Given current consumption levels, including the 80 million litres a day being lost to leaks, if the remaining dam fails, the city will be unable to get enough water from east to west to provide for everyone.
Responding to suggestions that only a well-timed winter storm had saved Cape Town from Day Zero in 2018, DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille said: “Cape Town was never in such deep trouble. We never came within two to three weeks of running out of water. We came within a couple of months, yes. The reason why is that we spotted it a year in advance.
“Then we created a joint operational centre, bringing the spheres of government together, and we formulated a very comprehensive plan covering every portfolio. We met regularly and the plan was implemented. We never built [water collection points]. We had a plan potentially for water collection points. But we never came close to having to implement it.”
Zille was in Nelson Mandela Bay this week to inspect two water collection points that will provide emergency water to residents when Churchill Dam runs dry.
Read the full article in the Daily Maverick written by Estelle Ellis:
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-26-is-it-too-late-for-salvation-a-tale-of-two-cities-as-day-zero-looms/