Prioritise water scarcity crisis
WATER scarcity in South Africa is not a new scenario. And yet, we continue to do little to address what has the potential to become an economic and humanitarian disaster in this country.
The droughts in the Eastern and Western Cape, in particular, should have focused our attention on just how big the crisis can get.
And yet, we continue to take it all for granted. We ignore the gushing leaks from ageing water infrastructure – along with wholesale theft of water from major pipelines, rivers and dams. We fail to teach our citizens to be frugal in water usage.
We fail to invest in alternative technologies such as desalination plants or find alternative sources, such as treated wastewater or improved groundwater extraction.
The consequences will be dire if we continue with so little care for our future.
A recent research report revealed that dam levels across several provinces are perilously low and that we are overexploiting our renewable water resources.
The report: A Delicate Balance: Water Scarcity in South Africa‚ released jointly by the Institute for Security Studies‚ the Water Research Commission and the Frederick S Pardee Centre for International Futures, warns that our growing population, urbanisation, and a fast-developing manufacturing sector will drive increased demand from the municipal, agricultural and industrial sectors. But rainfall is predicted to decline – along with water availability.
The report is filled with all sorts of alarming numbers: More than 60% of South Africa’s rivers are currently being overexploited and only one third of the country’s main rivers can be said to be in good condition.
About 146 rivers in South Africa are considered to have a “very low” water flow. Only 63 of the 565 rivers can be considered to have a “high” flow. South Africa’s average water consumption per capita is 235l.
The global average is 175l. One driver of high consumption, says the report, is the amount of water that is referred to as nonrevenue water. This is the difference between the amount of water pumped into the distribution system and the water billed to consumers. Much is lost along the way to leakage and theft. More than 35% of municipal water is considered non-revenue.
Another frightening number is that some 25% of this country’s wastewater treatment facilities are dysfunctional. Another 25% are considered high risk. The problems cross local, provincial and national government divides when it comes to water governance.
No one is doing their job and our citizens are contributing little in terms of water conservation. Our new Water and Sanitation Minister Gugile Nkwinti seems lost. He has revealed he inherited a bankrupt and dysfunctional department and he has no idea how to dig us out of the mess we find ourselves in. However, the report is not all gloom and doom. It concludes that it is possible to restore stability to South Africa’s water systems with significant financial investment and political will. President Cyril Ramaphosa has so much else to do.
Yet, without water stability, we can achieve little. Economic growth and job creation will remain unattainable. Water must become one of his political priorities.