Cape Town has been in a dilemma for years. The idea of a modern city running out of fresh water is not something that most people have ever thought about, but the potential of it happening is of serious concern. Officials have created contingency plans and they are facing the idea of having to follow through with their plans as the worst drought in a century continues to hold reign over the southern part of Africa.

The water crisis has reached a point where simple things such as turning off the water while brushing your teeth is not the only sacrifice that is going to need to be made.

People in South Africa are going to have to go to extreme measures to ensure the little bit of water they have will go a long way.

Beautiful beaches, booming tourism and... no fresh water?

Cape Town, South Africa is located in the province known as the Western Cape. It is known for so many of the world's breathtaking views, iconic world leaders and thrilling places to learn how to surf. It is the home of comedian, Trevor Noah, some of the best vineyards in the world are located here and where people dream to go cage diving with sharks.

To many, first thoughts of Cape Town is a far away, "once in a lifetime" vacation spot. Sadly, over the past 3 years, the first thing that comes to mind of the local Capetonians is no longer any of those things.

Now, it is the looming Day Zero, also known as the day the taps are turned off.

Day Zero will be the day that water faucets for homes will be turned off. Fresh, clean water will no longer be at the disposal whenever it is wanted. This day has been approaching for months and city officials have changed the date many times.

Cape Town has had severe water restrictions for years on end and now the only next step to rationing the water is to turn off the faucets.

People have been asked to use water sparingly to help preserve the water in the reservoirs, but little rain has come to help fill up the surrounding dams.

Imagine living your typical day without any running water. Simple things such as brushing your teeth, cooking or flushing the toilet are suddenly taken away. According to News24, "the maximum limit of for personal consumption is 50 liters per person per day"- that’s only about 13 gallons.

Sounds like a lot but not when it is your drinking, bathing and cooking water.

What happens after day zero?

Once Day Zero approaches, homes will no longer have water come out of the tap. Once this happens, until further notice, members of the Cape Town community will have to go and stand in line for water. This is the worst drought that the country has seen in over 100 years and the first modern-day city to ever run out of water. The situation is ironic- the country sits between two major oceans; the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the east leaving people in the in the cliché phrase of “water, water all around, but not a drop to drink.”

With a country that has had such a history of being driven apart and a city of over 3 million people, the loss of running water could be a disaster.

How will people act when they don't have enough water to live? What additional sacrifices will have to be made as this drought continues? News24 also stated that officials speculate that Cape Town could run out of water by 2030.

Water usage per family has dropped to a fraction of what an individual American uses in just their morning routine of getting ready for work. With restrictions like this on the water- everything is impacted. Plants and crops are struggling to survive which creates a certain eventual food scarcity. Leaving one to wonder, what is the future for South Africa?
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