"Rich elites are fueling water crises by using huge amounts of limited water resources on things like their private swimming pools, irrigating their gardens and washing their cars, a new study says, adding that their use of water could affect urban areas “at least as much as climate change or population growth.”

The analysis, published in the journal Nature Sustainability on Monday, focused on the South African coastal city of Cape Town and found that the two wealthiest groups of residents were responsible for more than half of the city’s water consumption, despite representing less than 15 percent of the population.

“Urban water crises can be triggered by the unsustainable consumption patterns of privileged social groups,” the report said, adding that its findings were relevant to other cities with high inequality."

Victoria Bisset reports for the Washington Post April 11, 2023. [2]