JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African city of Cape Town has made a little progress in staving off the dreaded “Day Zero,” the date when it might have to turn off most taps because of water shortages.
The country’s main opposition leader said Tuesday that “Day Zero” had been pushed back by four days to April 16 because of efforts to save water by residents.
Mmusi Maimane, whose Democratic Alliance party runs Cape Town and the surrounding province, says residents must use fewer than 50 liters (13.2 gallons) per person daily to avoid the tap closure altogether.
Maimane says aquifer drilling is accelerating and that authorities will reduce water pressure in the municipal system in coming weeks.
Experts say causes of Cape Town’s water shortages include climate change and huge population growth.
