3 things cities can learn from Cape Town's impending "Day Zero"water shut-off.

1. Invest in Resilience

To withstand a changing climate and growing populations, cities must be resilient to the unexpected. Identifying opportunities for rainwater harvesting, dams and underground storage, treating and reusing greywater and wastewater, and investing in water efficiency is key to boosting resilience to drought and increased water competition.

2. Understand Risks

Many cities are experiencing growing water risks. Climate change is shifting cloud patterns and the hydrologic cycle in certain regions, making rainfall more variable and droughts more common and intense. At the same time, the world’s cities are growing at a rate of 3 million people per week, increasing competition over scarce resources.

3. Manage Your Water Budget

Cities have finite water resources, whether sourced from nearby watersheds, dams or pumped directly from underground. Where the water originates from differs by location—oftentimes a diverse set of users, such as power plants, farms and homes, compete for this same water. It’s a city’s job to manage its own water budget in the context of this broader landscape, understanding sources and uses, and allocating resources within these realities.

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