SALT LAKE CITY — A water crisis halfway across the planet has the attention of city planners and water conservationists from countries worldwide, including those in Utah.

Officials in Cape Town, South Africa, say the city is on the verge of completely running out of water by May. As NPR pointed out on Sunday, a three-year drought, increasing populations — the city’s metro area is nearing 4 million people — and poor planning factored into this crisis.

Residents are required to use a maximum of 50 liters of water per day. To put that into perspective, the average American shower of 8.2 minutes consumes 65 liters of water, according to the Alliance for Water Efficiency.

"People (are) buying anything that can hold water," one resident of the city told CNN. "No buckets, no (gas cans) or drums (are) in stock. So people (are) buying bins, vases and large storage boxes."

Another region of the country was set to donate 1 billion liters of water to the Cape Town area, according to SABC.com, and a large rainstorm was forecasted for Friday. While both may delay the city from running dry, neither will likely solve the problem.

Could this happen in Utah?

A map released by the U.S. Drought Monitor Thursday shows that a drought has returned for much of Utah, while the northern tip of Utah is listed as “abnormally dry.” This is mainly due to a below average snowpack — the amount of water in snow — across the state. A good chunk of Utah’s water comes from snowpack runoff in the spring.

Thanks to last year’s above-average water year, the state’s reservoir storage was at 73 percent capacity heading into February, compared to 53 percent this time last year, according to a report by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Without a major runoff anticipated this spring, next year’s reservoir storage will likely be much lower in 2019, said National Weather Service hydrologist Brian McInerney.

“If we (had as much snow as this winter) back-to-back-to-back, like we did from 2012 through 2016, then we’re really going to have to be careful,” McInerney explained. That said, Utah’s cities likely won’t run dry anytime soon.

“So far we haven’t even come close to anything like what you see in South Africa,” he added. “That’s due to the storage, how the water is metered out and conservation programs.”

Like McInerney, Joshua Palmer, water efficiency education and engagement section manager for the Utah Division of Water Resources, points to Utah's water infrastructure as why Utah's cities have been better off in severe droughts than what has happened in Cape Town.

While there isn’t an immediate threat for any of Utah’s cities to run dry, state water conservationists and hydrologists say it could be a problem down the road — especially with most of the state in a desert climate.

Adding in the state’s anticipated population growth with changing climate patterns, there are some definite concerns. That’s why those who pay attention to water are keeping a close eye on Cape Town’s situation.

“As we look at doubling our population, we’re going to have to look at changing our watering habits for sure,” Palmer said.

McInerney said current projections have Utah’s famous snow turning to mostly rain in the wintertime by around 2060, which would put a strangle on Utah’s uber-important spring runoff.

“These things are actually ahead of us,” he said. “What happens if we don't have a runoff? How do we deal with that? Plus with the increasing populations, how are we going to deal with that? We need to have a good discussion on this and get game plans on how to do this. The sooner we get on it, the better off we'll be."

Thinking ahead to the future — from 2019 to well past that — is one of the reasons why Palmer said he advocates water conservation each year, regardless of the amount of precipitation the state receives.

“It’s not one summer at a time that you’re thinking about when you’re thinking about the long-term supply of water for people and natural ecosystems,” he said. “You’re thinking, ‘What happens if we have another year like this next year?’ We’re still holding out hope (for 2018). We’re hoping we can get just a ton of moisture coming in, but it’s not looking great right now.”

For Palmer, water is Utah's "most precious resource" that helps feed the economic growth happening in the state today. That's where using water wisely comes into play. That starts with education and awareness by those who consume water: residents, businesses and local entities, Palmer said. The state offers several programs that help encourage efficient water usage.

A maintained efficient infrastructure is why Utah officials believe they can avoid a water crisis like Cape Town's in the distant future. However, how Utahns use water is also important.

"I think what hits me possibly the hardest is that the efficient use of water is really a way that we can show gratitude for what we have," Palmer said. "Wasting water is a way we show ingratitude for what we have. ... Everybody needs to do their part."

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