{"id":652056,"date":"2025-02-03T20:50:21","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T17:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control\/"},"modified":"2025-02-03T20:50:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T17:50:21","slug":"how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control\/","title":{"rendered":"#How five cities that nearly ran dry got water use under control"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3c26ac3482c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3c26ac3482c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control\/#Lessons_from_cities_that_have_seen_the_worst\" >Lessons from cities that have seen the worst<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control\/#Planning_ahead_can_reduce_the_harm\" >Planning ahead can reduce the harm<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-five-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control\/#Solutions_and_strategies_for_the_future\" >Solutions and strategies for the future<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/drought-can-hit-almost.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/drought-can-hit-almost.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: The Conversation\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/drought-can-hit-almost.jpg\" alt=\"Drought can hit almost anywhere: How 5 cities that nearly ran dry got water use under control\" title=\"Credit: The Conversation\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: The Conversation<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Water scarcity is often viewed as an issue for the arid American West, but the U.S. Northeast&#8217;s experience in 2024 shows how severe droughts can occur in just about any part of the country.<\/p>\n<p>Cities in the Northeast experienced record-breaking drought conditions in the second half of 2024 after a hot, dry summer in many areas. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/weather\/heat\/drought-northeast-fire-risk-rcna178666\" target=\"_blank\">Wildfires broke out<\/a> in several states that rarely see them.<\/p>\n<p>By December, much of the region <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/droughtmonitor.unl.edu\/CurrentMap\/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Northeast\" target=\"_blank\">was experiencing moderate to severe drought<\/a>. Residents in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/office-of-the-mayor\/news\/807-24\/mayor-adams-issues-citywide-drought-watch-orders-city-agencies-develop-water-conservation\" target=\"_blank\">New York City<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston25news.com\/news\/local\/major-drought-declared-across-massachusetts-state-officials-say\/5WYKZMNGDNDIBEGSPIMFNRDPSY\/\" target=\"_blank\">Boston<\/a> were asked to reduce their water use, while <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hoodline.com\/2024\/11\/delaware-river-s-drinking-water-for-philadelphia-and-beyond-at-risk-as-salt-front-advances\/\" target=\"_blank\">Philadelphia<\/a> faced risk to its water supply due to saltwater coming up the Delaware River.<\/p>\n<p>Before the drought, many people in the region weren&#8217;t prepared for water shortages or even paying much attention to their water use.<\/p>\n<p>As global temperatures rise, cities throughout the U.S. are more likely to experience <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aaz9600\" target=\"_blank\">hotter, drier conditions<\/a> like this. Those conditions increase evaporation, drying out vegetation and soil and lowering groundwater tables.<\/p>\n<p>The Northeast drought <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/droughtmonitor.unl.edu\/data\/png\/20250128\/20250128_rcc_northeast_text.png\" target=\"_blank\">was easing in much of the region<\/a> in early 2025, but communities across the U.S. should take note of what h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ened. They can learn from the experiences of cities that have had to confront major water supply crises\u2014such as Cape Town, South Africa; S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil; Melbourne, Australia; Las Vegas; and New Orleans\u2014and start planning now to avoid the worst impacts of future droughts.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lessons_from_cities_that_have_seen_the_worst\"><\/span>Lessons from cities that have seen the worst<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Our new <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/research_reports\/RRA3540-1.html\" target=\"_blank\">analysis of these five cities&#8217; experiences<\/a> provides lessons on how to avoid a water supply crisis or minimize the effects through proactive policies and planning.<\/p>\n<p>Many cities have had to confront major water supply crises in recent years. Perhaps the most well-known example is Cape Town&#8217;s &#8220;Day Zero.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>After three years of persistent drought in the region, Cape Town officials in fall 2017 began a countdown to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.northeastern.edu\/sei\/2018\/02\/as-day-zero-approaches-cape-town-copes-with-water-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\">Day Zero<\/a>\u2014the point at which water supplies would likely run so low that water would be turned off in neighborhoods and residents would need to fetch a daily allocation of water at public distribution points. Initially it was forecast to occur in April 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Water rates were raised, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africancentreforcities.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Ziervogel-2019-Lessons-from-Cape-Town-Drought_A.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">some households installed flow restrictors<\/a>, which would automatically limit the amount of water that could be used. Public awareness and conservation efforts cut water consumption in half, allowing the city to push back its estimate for when Day Zero would arrive. And when the rains finally came in summer 2018, Day Zero was canceled.<\/p>\n<p>A second example is S\u00e3o Paulo, which similarly experienced a severe drought between 2013 and 2015. The city&#8217;s reservoirs were reduced to just 5% of their capacity, and the water utility reduced the pressure in the water system to limit water use by residents.<\/p>\n<p>Water pricing adjustments were used to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/research_reports\/RRA3540-1.html\" target=\"_blank\">penalize high water users and reward water conservation<\/a>, and a citywide campaign sought to increase awareness and encourage conservation. As in Cape Town, the crisis ended with heavy rains in 2016. Significant investments have since been made in upgrading the city&#8217;s water distribution infrastructure, preventing leaks and bringing water to the city from other river basins.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ads w-100 my-4 article-main__more bg-light p-3 border\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-3\">\n        Discover the latest in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, tech, and space with over <strong>100,000 subscribers<\/strong> who rely on Phys.org for daily insights.<br \/>\n        Sign up for our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/help\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">free newsletter<\/a> and get updates on breakthroughs,<br \/>\n        innovations, and research that matter\u2014<strong>daily or weekly<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Planning_ahead_can_reduce_the_harm\"><\/span>Planning ahead can reduce the harm<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The experiences of Cape Town and S\u00e3o Paulo\u2014and the other cities in our study\u2014show how water supply crises can affect communities.<\/p>\n<p>When major changes are made to reduce water consumption, they can <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/research_reports\/RRA3540-1.html\" target=\"_blank\">affect people&#8217;s daily lives and pocketbooks<\/a>. Rapidly designed conservation efforts can have harmful effects on poor and vulnerable communities that may have fewer alternatives in the event of restrictions or shutoffs or lack the ability to pay higher prices for water, forcing tough choices for households between water and other necessities.<\/p>\n<p>Planning ahead allows for more thoughtful policy design.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Las Vegas has been grappling with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aaz9600\" target=\"_blank\">drought conditions for the past two decades<\/a>. During that time, the region implemented <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/innovation\/las-vegas-going-all-in-water-conservation-plan-180983974\/\" target=\"_blank\">water-conservation policies<\/a> that focus on incentivizing and even requiring reduced water consumption.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2023, the Las Vegas Valley Water District has <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ktnv.com\/news\/las-vegas-valley-water-district-changes-rates-to-crack-down-on-water-wasters\" target=\"_blank\">implemented water rates<\/a> that encourage conservation and can vary with the availability of water supplies during droughts. In its first year alone, the policy <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wdbj7.com\/video\/2024\/03\/12\/3-billion-gallons-water-saved-2023-due-excess-use-charge-policy-lvvwd-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">saved 3 billion gallons of water<\/a> and generated US$31 million in fees that can be used by programs to detect and repair leaks, among other conservation efforts. A state law now requires businesses and homeowner associations in the Las Vegas Valley to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nevadabusiness.com\/2024\/01\/deadline-to-tear-out-nonfunctional-turf-creeping-closer\/\" target=\"_blank\">remove their decorative grass<\/a> by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2002, per capita water use in Las Vegas <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snwa.com\/water-resources\/conservation-initiatives\/index.html#:~:text=Conservation%20efforts%20have%20helped%20the,786%2C000%20residents%20during%20that%20time.\" target=\"_blank\">has dropped<\/a> by an impressive 58%.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Solutions_and_strategies_for_the_future\"><\/span>Solutions and strategies for the future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Most of the cities we studied incorporated a variety of approaches to building water security and drought-proofing their community\u2014from publishing <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/resource.capetown.gov.za\/documentcentre\/Documents\/City%20research%20reports%20and%20review\/damlevels.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">real-time dashboards<\/a> showing water use and availability in Cape Town to investing in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.melbournewater.com.au\/water-and-environment\/water-management\/water-quality\/water-treatment\/desalination\" target=\"_blank\">desalination in Melbourne<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But we found the most important changes came from community members committing to and supporting efforts to conserve water and invest in water security, such as reducing lawn watering.<\/p>\n<p>There are also longer-term actions that can help drought-proof a community, such as fixing or replacing <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/css.umich.edu\/publications\/factsheets\/built-environment\/residential-buildings-factsheet\" target=\"_blank\">water- and energy-intensive fixtures and structures<\/a>. This includes upgrading home appliances, such as showers, dishwashers and toilets, to be more water efficient and investing in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecolandscaping.org\/07\/developing-healthy-landscapes\/conservation\/drought-tolerant-think-native\/\" target=\"_blank\">native and drought-tolerant landscaping<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Prioritizing green infrastructure, such as retention ponds and bioswales, that help absorb rain when it does fall and investing in water recycling can also diversify water supplies.<\/p>\n<p>Taking these steps now, ahead of the next drought, can prepare cities and lessen the pain.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/drought-can-hit-almost-anywhere-how-5-cities-that-nearly-ran-dry-got-water-use-under-control-248760\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/248760\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDrought can hit almost anywhere: How five cities that nearly ran dry got water use under control (2025, February 3)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 3 February 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-02-drought-cities-ran-dry.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-02-drought-cities-ran-dry.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: The Conversation Water scarcity is often viewed as an issue for the arid American West, but the U.S. Northeast&#8217;s experience in 2024 shows how severe droughts can occur in just about any part of the country. Cities in the Northeast experienced record-breaking drought conditions in the second half of 2024 after a hot, dry&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":652057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/drought-can-hit-almost.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-652056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/652056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=652056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/652056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/652057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=652056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=652056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=652056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}