South Africa is facing water shortages after the worst drought since 1992 cut dam levels by 12% from a year earlier as most of the country enters its four-month dry season. Drought in eastern and central South Africa around the turn of the year has slashed corn and sugar output and may trigger water shortages for homes and businesses.

Weaker river flow also threatens water quality. South Africa is the 30th-driest nation on Earth, according to the government, which expects water demand to outstrip supply as early as 2025. “Water will definitely be at a premium over the next few months,” said Sputnik Ratau, a spokesperson for the Department of Water Affairs. Toward the end of the dry season “we will be in an even more dire situation in terms of available water.”

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