The Role of the Rich in Urban Water Crises: A Study

The unsustainable consumption of the rich, including the use of swimming pools, garden irrigation, and washing cars, is a key driver of urban water crises, according to a new study that calls for a fresh approach to tackling the issue. The study, which focused on Cape Town, found that the elite and upper-middle-income groups together use more than half of the water consumed by the entire city, while informal dwellers and lower-income households consume a mere 27.3% of the city's water. The report proposes a new approach to preserving water resources centered around "altering privileged lifestyles, limiting water use for amenities and redistributing income and water resources more equally."