Cape Town introduces world's first water police

There was a point, earlier this year water when it looked like Cape Town was going to run out of water. As a consequence, the people who run the city decided to change the rules.

At the beginning of February, officials introduced a series of water restrictions that are so draconian, they simply have no precedent worldwide. It is not like they had much choice. This bustling city of four million souls has gone three years without significant rainfall - and the six dams which supply this ocean-side community are running dangerously low.

“This was the moment the crisis got real for a lot of people,” says Richard Bosman, the city’s executive director for safety and security.

Residents were restricted to just 50 litres of water and a host of everyday practices are prohibited under a series of measures known locally as level 6B.

Washing cars with municipal water are illegal.
Topping up a swimming pool with city water is illegal (including inflatable paddling pools).
Watering the garden? Don’t even think about it.

“People turned around and said to themselves we have to stop blaming the city for this,” says Mr Bosman.

“We are going to have to save water. There has been this big change in mindset. Everywhere you go people are talking about water now.”

Not everybody in Cape Town has changed their mindset, however. To help enforce level 6B, the city now employs more than 60 officers as part of a specialised water inspectorate. They are, for all practical purposes, the world’s first water police.

Source: Sky News