Canadian town takes up the ‘Cape Town Challenge’ to reduce water usage

A small town in Canada is taking up the “Cape Town Challenge” inspired by the latter’s recent struggle with water.

According to a report on MyCoastNow, the news site of a local radio station, residents of Gibsons, British Colombia have been encouraged to reduce their water consumption to 50-litres per day, much like Cape Town during its recent drought. Residents’ current consumption is five-times higher than that.

Due to low rainfall between 2016 and 2017, Cape Town’s dam levels dropped below 10% in parts, forcing residents to use just 50 litres of water per day. Now, residents of Gibsons will be using the same amount to raise awareness for the changing climate.

The official town website provides a few more details:

“Here on the Sunshine Coast, effective water management has become a major issue, as the region experiences longer periods of drought and many residents are subject to lengthy water restrictions,” it wrote.

“Even in Gibsons, where we benefit from our proximity to the Gibsons Aquifer, we must be thoughtful about our water usage in the face of a growing population and the unknown effects of climate change.”

The official site also lists links to the City of Cape Town’s water calculator, which allows users to estimate how much of the wet stuff they use daily.

While it won’t likely become a meme, it seems that Cape Town’s drought has left a lasting impact on more people than the residents of the city.

Feature image: Gibsons, Canada, by Fil.Al via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)