Considering that a city could ever run out of water is completely scary and out of this world thought, but it is indeed possible. Some cities, including Cape Town situated in South Africa, is just one city that almost met its fate. You could say that, back in 2018, Cape Town was holding on to a thread, and if it weren’t for the winter rains that graced the land after three years of inconsistent and low rainfall, today, the mother city wouldn’t have water.

Imagine that.

4,6 million people reside in Cape Town, and up to 7 million in the Western Cape province, both of which were affected by the extreme lack of freshwater resources. Luckily, Cape Town managed to recover, but now other cities, especially Chennai in India, is facing severe water shortage. The situation has got so bad that the four reservoirs designated to supply water to the city are starting to dry up simultaneously. 600-million people are living in Chennai. So, given that these reservoirs clear up entirely, it will leave over half a billion people in India without water. These are trying times.

Looking at the U.S., you’d never think it, but one of the strongest countries first world countries in the world is now also affected by water scarcity more than ever before. They too are experiencing extreme water shortages as 4 out of 10 people in the U.S. are now affected by water scarcity.

Other big cities affected include:

  • Mexico City has very poorly constructed water pipes that cause the city to lose up to 40% of its freshwater resources.
  • Cairo relies on the Nile River for up to 97% of freshwater. Since the population in Egypt has doubled in the past five decades, the country will severe water shortage by 2025.
  • Tokyo joins the list as they have been experiencing poor rainfall since the 1960s, and the population continues to increase.
  • Jakarta in Indonesia is recognized as one of the fastest sinking cities in the world and lies 40% below sea level, sinking 20 centimeters annually, which threatens groundwater resources for the years to come. As a result, 70% of the city’s waterways are affected.

Buy water coolers or rent water dispensers from Living-Water in London.