Cape Town pushes back ‘Day Zero’ in water crisis

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s city of Cape Town has made more progress in putting off “Day Zero,” the date when it might have to turn off most water taps because of a drought.

The opposition party that runs the city of four million people says increased water saving by residents means that “Day Zero” has been pushed from June 4 to July 9. It says provincial farmers who released a large amount of water from private dams to help the city also contributed.

The Democratic Alliance party says residents must still use fewer than 13.2 gallons per person daily to avoid the tap closure.

Officials in the popular tourist destination initially projected “Day Zero” for April. They are concerned that seasonal rainfall expected to start around May could be low.