Cape Town's four million residents are experiencing something of a nightmare: their city has almost completely run out of water - for good - unless the rains come. "Day Zero" as the city was calling the doomsday when all water would have to be shut off, with the exception of for hospitals and other emergency facilities, was supposed to come on April 12. This was the day when officials anticipated that the city's reservoir, after three years of drought, would drop to 13.5% of capacity. That day has now been pushed back until the middle of July, but though postponed, officials say it is still inevitable.
So how are residents coping? With the limit of using no more than 50 liters of water a day, residents who go over the limit are threatened with fines of up to 10,000 South African rand - equivalent to almost $850 US dollars. Watch the video to hear actual residents and their experiences from right now. Maybe it'll make you think twice about your ten-minute long shower. I know it made me.
