The world watched with a sense of dread in 2018 as Cape Town, South Africa counted down the days until the city would run out of water. The region’s surface reservoirs were going dry amid its worst drought on record, and the public countdown was a plea for help.
By drastically cutting their water use, Cape Town residents and farmers were able to push back “Day Zero” until the rain came, but the close call showed just how precarious water security can be. California also faced severe water restrictions during its recent multi-year drought. And Mexico City is now facing water restrictions after a year with little rain.
