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Cape Town's Water Crisis May Have Been Averted

Officials say water restriction efforts have worked, and "Day Zero" might not happen this year at all.

Cape Town's Water Crisis May Have Been Averted
City of Cape Town
SMS

Cape Town may have just altogether avoided "Day Zero," the day the city was expected to run out of water.

Officials implemented strict water-saving measures, banning the use of drinking water for plants, allowing each resident only 13 gallons of water a day and fining those who exceed the limit. For reference, an average American uses 80-100 gallons of water a day.

And in a controversial move, officials temporarily "named and shamed" residents who used the most water.

Those efforts have resulted in Day Zero being pushed from April 12 to Aug. 27.

But now the city is expecting rain, and government officials said Wednesday, "Provided we continue our current water savings efforts, Day Zero can be avoided completely this year."