Weber Shandwick is working with South Africa Tourism to promote travel to Cape Town, which has been in the news as potentially the first major city in the world to run out of water.

Cape Town, South AfricaAerial view of Cape Town comparison between 2011 (top) and 2018.

The Interpublic unit began work Feb. 14., handling media requests, pitching reporters and developing messages to best position Cape Town and South Africa as tourist destinations.

The budget for fees/expenses is capped at $100K.

The Guardian (Feb. 3) reported that Cape Town is in the midst of a one-in-384-year drought.

Greg Pillay, a Cape Town emergency services official, identified water shortages, sanitation failures, disease outbreaks and anarchy as the major risks faced by the city.

Unless water consumption is drastically slashed, the city forecasts July 9 as Day Zero, when reservoirs fall to 13 percent of capacity, and water valves to one million homes, 75 percent of the city, will close.

Residents will then have to go to 200 municipal sites, where armed guards will enforce the daily intake of water to 6.6 gallons.