October 5, 2020
Water supply in Cape Town
The potential stress that Cape Town is facing, is a significant shortage of water supply. However, this is not a new challenge for the South-African city, as it experienced the water crisis from 2017/2018. This fact might ease the study case, because the following consequences and problems are known from the crisis that occurred. On the other hand, it also makes the case more interesting: what are the lessons learned from the first crisis? How could this have happened? And should a different approach be maintained if this were to happen again? This report tried to answer these questions, by first examining the effects on the urban network. The following most important stresses and shocks have been found here; the collapse of the sanitation system, straining the health care system. The negative impact on the economy, due to the setback of tourism, agriculture and water taxes. Furthermore, the social inequality in Cape Town would exacerbate as water would become a high-valued product. Secondly, the attempt has been made to answer how the probability of this crisis will change as a result of climate change, which does not give a good prospect. Finally, several possible solutions are investigated, from which a sustainable way of re-using water in combination with the construction of aquifers could be a crucial solution.