Cape Town tries to avert Day Zero of century's worst drought, a point when dams, taps will run dry

South Africa has declared a national disaster over the drought afflicted southern and western regions, including Cape Town, which means the government could spend more money and resources to deal with the crisis.

Rainwater flows down off Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain, South Africa.

Clothing hangs above a communal tap in Khayelitsha township, near Cape Town.

The Theewaterskloof dam, which supplies most of Cape Town's potable water is seen from above near Villiersdorp , South Africa.

The Theewaterskloof dam, which supplies most of Cape Town's potable water is seen from above near Villiersdorp , South Africa.

A man carries a bucket used to collect water from a small roadside spring in Cape Town. The city of four million moved its estimate for "Day Zero" to July 9 from June 4 due to a decline in water usage, and after the Groenland farmers association also released 10 billion litres of water from their private reservoirs into the Steenbras storage dam.

The remains of a fish lie amongst cracked mud seen at Theewaterskloof dam.

The children's section of Trafalgar swimming pool lies empty.