Cape Town and the Western Cape – Africa’s leading tourist region – is building a more sustainable tourism destination, as it develops numerous responses to its severe drought. The joint response from government, citizens, and the tourism industry is emerging as best practice for sustainable water management and promoting “water-wise tourism” in the face of climate change.
Over the past three years, citizens, industry and the tourism sector have dramatically cut consumption of water by almost 60%. This is a world-beating performance that has not yet been matched by any other major city globally.
In addition, new sources of water are being added. The new water program by the City of Cape Town includes three additional, sustainable sources of water, namely: ground water abstraction from underground aquifers, temporary desalination and re-claimed / re-used water. It already supplies 12% of Cape Town’s daily usage, and this will increase to more than 45% within a year, at current consumption patterns.
It is vital that all residents, visitors, and businesses continue to save water, while this augmentation comes online.
