Remember when Eskom’s load shedding was the worst of our worries? While working electronics were as rare in 2015 as a full dam is in 2018, there was one positive: apps were developed to help keep South Africans informed.
Although Cape Town’s current water crisis hasn’t birthed too many apps in response, there are some examples. And these apps can be used to help bring your water consumption under control, or at least keep abreast of developing news.
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South African Water Levels (Android)
Developed by Rhys Williams, this app does exactly what it says on the tin. It lists all provinces (including Lesotho) in its left-hand side bar, and displays how much usable water remains for each province. It doesn’t quite count down to #DayZero, but it’s a useful visual representation of how much water each province has in its surface reserves.
That Dam App (Android)
Beyond its clever name, That Dam App is packed with a wealth of information on individual dam levels across South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Figures are regularly updated, and can also be viewed numerically and visually on a trend graph.
Drop Drop (Android and iOS)
Developed by UCT, Drop Drop doesn’t boast the slickest UI. It does however act as a quick reference for a bevy of scenarios, hosting important numbers, a knowledge base and the ability to manage water meter readings. These little features will become invaluable before #DayZero strikes.
Honourable mention: TapOff is a Cape Town-developed Android and iOS app that gamifies the water saving experience. Read about it here.
Feature image: congerdesign via Pixabay (CC0)
