Employing the heuristic of intersectionality, this study analyzes household effects and responses to water shortage in Gaborone, Botswana, focusing on residents' adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Using data collected through qualitative interviews, we find that households from all socio-economic backgrounds face various effects from water shortage and use numerous strategies to reduce exposure and impact. A key insight is that vulnerability and adaptive capacity are not equally distributed between, or within conventional social categories. Instead, the effects of water shortage are influenced by the intersection and interplay of several underlying factors.