• Jan 20, 2018
  • 0 comments
  • by A. Easton

So, in the midst of reading about a real life water crisis coming soon, I jumped in the shower... actually very aware of the water I was using / wasting. I had a fleeting thought about turning the water off to shave my legs, but too cold in the house. Bear in mind I live in San Diego, CA. The average temp is 70’s, but only 59 degrees out there right now. Chilly in my house. Shamefully, I kept the hot water running during my whole shower – say 10 – 12 minutes. 

Then I dove back in to learn more about the inevitable water shortage happening as we speak in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm at a loss... a hot shower is a luxury not to be had in that part of the world. 

Who’s Susceptible to a Water Crisis?

The more I learn about the water crisis in Cape Town, the more aware I become of how vulnerable I am - we all are. After all, ummm, is our U.S. government shut down at the moment or not? I’m not sure. It’s all so irresponsible and ridiculous. And be sure to check with any residents of Flint, Michigan about clean drinking water issues. Yea, I bet they’ll have some stories…

So, worst-case scenario, which seems to be possible at any moment for many of us – WE ARE ON OUR OWN. The idea of emergency preparedness or being in survival mode makes more sense all the time. Instead of clicking away when we come across water scarcity posts or the likelihood of a water shortage in the US, we should probably take a minute and read it.

Water crisis to cause major water sanitation issues in Cape Town, South Africa

I felt compelled to share snip-its of an article written by Trevor Nace, a Forbes contributor, which initially got my attention about the Cape Town water crisis. It’s pretty dang scary and utterly unacceptable. Now, if you’re thinking Cape Town, South Africa is just a small town, somewhere down there on the map; take a look. This is a large city of four million people who’s lives, as they know them, are going to change in the next 90 days, possibly forever. I honestly don’t know what can be done at this point. It appears that a severe water shortage is inevitable for Capetonians.

Water Shortage Occurs in First Major City in the World

"Cape Town, South Africa is in water crisis mode right out of a Mad Max movie", writes Trevor Nace. "Given current water consumption, the city has approximately 90 days until it runs out of water. So this is the first actual, severe water shortage occurring in a major city in the world.

The city recently pushed forward what they call Day Zero, where the city will be forced to shut off water supplies to all but essential consumers, such as hospitals. The city has mandated that every household limit their water consumption to 23 gallons per person per day. However, only 54% of households are meeting that target. Cape Town has asked residents to limit their showers to a couple minutes, stop watering their lawns, no washing of cars, and flushing toilets only when necessary.

As the city approaches Day Zero, four million South Africans living in the Cape Town metropolis fear for what seems inevitable. On April 22, 2018, apart from a major reduction in residents’ daily usage, the city will turn off water supplies and implement rations for residents.

The fact is, water supplies will never completely run out as the last 10% from a reservoir becomes costly and difficult to extract. The city has agreed that once the dams reach 13.5% capacity, water supplies will be shut off and residents will have to queue to collect their daily rations of 6.6 gallons of water. To keep the peace and prevent water theft, armed guards will be employed.

For wealthy Capetonians, there are numerous advertisements of people willing to drive trucks full of water from less water-constrained areas for a hefty price. The rest of the residents will have to settle for the likely long lines for daily water rations. How will they carry on a normal life, if always in line for water?

Water crisis in Cape Town means waiting in line for potable water

The Cause of the Cape Town Water Crisis

The severe water shortage is due to a three year, once in a millennium, drought. While meteorologists believed the drought was initially due to the strong 2015 El Niño, the drought has continued despite no longer being in El Niño conditions. Most climate models predict that as global temperatures continue to warm, South Africa will continue to receive less and less precipitation. To combat this, the city is investing in desalination plants, however, they won't be operational before Cape Town runs out of water in just 90 days."

How to Prepare Yourself for a Water Crisis

Since clean potable water is the most important thing we can have in an emergency, and now we know a real water crisis can occur – no matter where you live - plan ahead and make sure you have what you need to keep your family supplied with enough clean drinking water. Share the word, share your knowledge. That’s why we have “social” media these days. We are learning to depend more on ourselves and each other. This is a good thing, since who knows what the government’s next move will be? 

Do your own research or check out the products from Sagan Life. We have done the research for you. The water purification systems from Sagan Life are tested and proven to work. Not many water purification companies will publish their test results – but you should ask to see them, before you buy!


To be totally prepared, I have a few huge water drums in my garage – I think they are 200 gallons; together with the AquaDrum Water Filtration System. The purification system pumps clean drinking water out of the drum. I also have several extra water purification filters (the Sagan XStream Straw™ Water Purifier Replacement Filter). Frankly, I have a few of all of the products, as I truly believe in the need for clean water.

Learn more about being prepared for a water crisis in your area. For more on how Sagan Life can save your Life click or call us at 858.675.7017. We’re happy to share water tips to help you avoid the impacts of a water shortage.