An unexpected but welcome bout of heavy rainfall has resulted in a recovery of water levels in reservoirs across dozens of dams in South Africa's Western Cape.
As Smile FM reported, the rainfall confounded predictions that the winter season would be drier than usual. While not yet as bountiful as last year, the rains have allowed water levels in 44 dams to average at just under 79% of capacity. The dams supplying Cape Town are also at a healthy 84.54%. Favorable rainfall in June and July saw those levels rise by around 20 percentage points in less than two months.
The news comes as a welcome relief for a nation that routinely suffers from water shortages caused by a lack of rainfall and worsening global conditions.
As the South African government noted, it's one of the driest countries in the world, with rainfall around 40% below the global average. Accordingly, water security is one of the nation's top priorities, and some municipalities enact water restrictions to conserve water supplies.
According to Time, Cape Town endured a particularly brutal drought in 2018. The dams supplying the city neared a critically low 13% of capacity (it's over 80% currently), and residents were restricted to just 13 gallons of water daily, scarcely enough for daily life. Fortunately, the rains eventually came, and "Day Zero," when taps would be shut off, was narrowly averted.
A reservoir filling up in an arid area is a universally good development and has been seen in other locales from California to India. However, it also requires effective local action from officials to ensure the stroke of fortune is built upon. It can be as simple as capturing rainwater in your yard.
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While the situation is a little more promising now, South Africa is actively exploring options to mitigate any future crisis. Desalination plants are expensive and take a toll on the environment, but smaller-scale plants powered by solar energy could provide some relief in remote areas, per African Business.
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