Cape Town seems a whole lot out of kilter, especially our beautiful little valley of Fish Hoek. Water is on the down. The wind is on the up and so is the dust! But it is the water crisis that has left the entire population uncertain. We just don’t know for sure if the dreaded day zero will arrive. If water usage is drastically reduced, the 12th April date may be pushed back and each day beyond it gives us a greater chance of getting to the rainy season without having the taps run dry.
While Cape Town is a city of more than 4 million people and it is true that we have a major water shortage, you don’t have to go far to find less stringent water restrictions. Wellington, which is only 72km away from Cape Town, has Level 1 restrictions – a ban on sprinklers, but you can still water by hand. They are not at the 87 litre per person stage, let alone 50 litres per person. Overstrand region which includes Hermanus, Kleinmond, Gansbaai and Stanford, according to their website has the same ban. Worcester, Touwsriver and Rawsonville are also on stage 1 water restrictions, a long way from our stage 6. These are towns just a couple of hours drive away from Cape Town. We are surrounded by towns that are okay and they are a short car/bus ride away. Visiting these towns for a weekend getaway is one way of reducing the burden on Cape Town’s water supply. You also get the opportunity to enjoy a break from drought fatigue – have a long hot shower and stock up on water. You can even go as far as flushing the loo without feeling guilty. These small towns will welcome some staycation Capetonians!
Back home in the thirsty Mother City, do the best you can. Stay calm. It is true that we are resilient and this time will pass. We are waiting for the rain like never before, but once they come and the dams start to fill, the massive pressure we are under right now will pass. We won’t forget this discomfort. The drastic measures we now have to put in place. The suggestion of showering twice a week, leaving the toilet unflushed and carefully preserving each drop of water that isn’t consumed. It’s stressful, but if each person does their bit, we will be okay. We each have a contribution to make towards putting off the fateful day of having no water reach our taps.
The time for staying positive is here. Let’s not be casting blame or endlessly criticizing the Western Cape government. This is a drought. They do happen and while Cape Town is the first major city in the world to find itself on the brink of running out of water, with populations multiplying on the planet , with less rain and more people, I doubt it will be the last.
We will make do. While I believe in consequences and a natural course of events that takes place in the world, I ultimately believe that God is in control. He sends the rain and He will do this. I will trust Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.
We are only passing through!
#549 of my 1000 thanks is for friends with whom I do life. Sometimes things are discussed here that are never discussed anywhere else! What’s said at ladies meeting, stays at ladies meeting!
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂