The impact of ‘Day Zero' on the Western Cape wine industry: A qualitative analysis into the perceptions and attitudes of students towards the allocation of municipal water under ‘Day Zero’ conditions.

Abstract

“We will know the worth of water when the well runs dry.” Benjamin Franklin

The Western Cape has been experiencing extreme drought conditions since 2015. In order to ease the pressure placed on the water supply, municipalities across the province will continue to place higher tariffs on water consumption to encourage South Africans to reduce their use of the municipal water supply.

The drought has been afflicting most of the agricultural and many of the urban sites of the Western and Eastern Cape and as such all non-essential consumption is being assessed in order to determine its relative priority status. An investigation was conducted through in depth interviews with student wine consumers in order to determine how consumers react to the concept of water prioritisation, should ‘Day Zero’ come into effect. By looking at the allocation and consumption of municipal water towards wine farms within the Western Cape, the research set out to understand the impact these perceptions will have on the overall wine industry within South Africa. The problem occurs for winemakers within the region, as growers will face some concerns when it comes to prioritising wine farming in the overall context of agriculture.

The most significant results that stood out from this research study was that consumers face ethical considerations when arguing for the rights of municipal water to wine farms over other, more essential agricultural sectors and as a result, look unfavourably towards these brands.