Many people may argue that the water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa is not the most pressing global issue in comparison to problems with North Korea and terrorism. Yet, water is absolutely necessary in order to survive. It is improbable, but possible, to survive a nuclear attack or a civil war. Without water, anyone would be dead in less than a week.
They recently had a major leak in a water dispensing pipe. This is not terribly concerning on its own; however, considering this water waste is in addition to the prediction that Cape Town will run out of water by April of this year is very distressing.
Because South Africa is so dry, in terms of attainable drinking water, their environmental policies and water conservation are very strong. But, they could not face the ongoing three year drought. Thus, this will be considered a monumental moment in world history not only by environmentalists, but also by world leaders. If Cape Town, a popular tourist destination in a relatively developed country with strong water conservation policies, can run out of water, what is preventing the same thing from happening to cities like Dubai or Phoenix in the future.
When Cape Town runs out of water this spring, not only will the city erupt into chaos, but the thought of running out of water will begin to tug on the minds of people all over the world, especially those in desert climates. This event could be the lynchpin for the beginning of wars over water, or the crackdown on water waste.