Cape Town's water crisis is nearing disaster levels, as usable water left in dams is at a scary 26.7%. If it doesn't rain and water consumption is not reduced in Cape Town, then the city will run out of water in March 2018.

Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille recently revealed the city's three-phase critical water shortages plan. "If consumption is not reduced to the required levels of 500 million liters of collective use per day, we are looking at about March 2018 when supply of municipal water would not be available," she said.

The first phase, which sees extreme tap pressure reduction, is underway. This will also see some areas in the city facing water supply disruptions for a short period of time.

The second phase will see residents collecting a predefined quantity of drinking water per person per day from collection points.

The third phase, which will pronounce extreme disaster, will be when the city is no longer able to draw water from dams, and there will be a limited time to supply water before a complete water system failure.

You can read a more detailed plan of the city's disaster plan here.