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A compilation of hints and tips on how to handle living in a severe drought scenario. These hints and tips are willingly shared by the people of Cape Town, and are aimed at whoever is in need - now - or in future, in order to ease their stress when faced with water shedding / shortages due to a drought

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Saturday 27 January 2018

Day Zero preparedness list # 2

Now that it looks like Day Zero is on the horizon and a reality, it’s time to take stock of what could possibly negatively affect you.

The millennium drought, here in Australia, lasted more than 10 years and it affected most of the country. We did everything you are doing to save water but the rain didn’t come, at least not enough to make a difference. We got to the day when we were down to 5 litres a day. The taps would come on at a specific time on a drizzle and we would draw our water. The trouble was it was the bottom of the dam and unbeknownst to us contained the parasite Guardia and even though we boiled our water for 1 minute as advised, we should have done it for 5 minutes and then used a filter, consequently we all got really ill, over the counter medication sold out and hospitals only took in the most critical. A terrible business when your toilet isn’t working properly!

One of the worst hardships was getting enough food on the table. With the farmers not getting any water and having slaughtered their livestock we weren’t getting fresh fruit, vegies or meat. Fortunately for us New Zealand and other countries stepped up and started supplying us and food started getting through to the supermarkets sporadically but it would be sold out in no time and at hugely inflated prices
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Each shop had a hot line and as soon as they posted what was in we rushed off to buy it. You never knew what was on the menu. Thank goodness after about a month supermarkets were able to stock their shelves with most things but at inflated prices!

To avoid that first crazy rush to buy food, I would suggest you keep a small larder of non perishable grocery items that you use for cooking. It should include items like:

Rice, flour, sugar, peanut butter, oil, tinned vegetables and fruit, dried beans, tinned tomatoes, pasta and sauces, 2 minute noodles, snacks, spices, powdered and tinned milk, coffee, tea, tinned fish, meat and any other non perishables your family like.

Stock of toilet paper is a MUST.

If you have a freezer stock up on meat and on biltong and dried sausage. Dairy products like cheese, butter and salami also last for a while.

We didn’t get bread for a while so I would bake my own which was a tremendous help.

You might fair better than we did as you can probably get stocks from interstate. On the other hand, we are a very orderly society but we still had incidences so you can probably expect some bad behaviour. If everything gets trucked in the roads become a nightmare and there is the possibility of a shortage of petrol and chaos on the roads.

A supply of medication and a small first aid kit should be kept along with a good torch, lighters or matches.

Involving the armed forces puts another dimension on the situation.

Some really good things came out of this. One is a social media program in your suburb where everyone registers and gets to know all their neighbours. Very useful as you can contact whole group in one hit. I was fortunate as had some gardeners in my area and got regular free vegies. NABO is still working and very handy in bad weather or disasters. Police use it to notify us of criminal activity in the area.

The other thing is the development and appreciation for the simple life and being self sufficient. You will view Mother Earth in an entirely different light and really appreciate what she gives you in such abundance.

I hope you find this helpful. And that Zero Day does not arrive.

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