The Eastern Cape is one of the areas in the country most likely to run out of water, according to the 2023 Blue Drop Watch report.
This as the estimated demand for water is expected to exceed available supply at the planned level of assurance.
The Blue Drop Watch report measures water quality compliance and water chemical quality throughout the country.
According to the report, 15% of South Africa’s water supply systems are in poor and critical condition.
Kate Stubbs, marketing director at Interwaste, said South Africa has had a water challenge for a number of years, which is worsening.
“If we hope to protect this scarce resource and create water supply that is safe and consistent, we need to create a much more diverse water mix including groundwater and wastewater reuse,” said Stubbs.
She said the main source of pollution is from wastewater treatment plants, noting that there is increasing contamination of waterways from various waste types.
“It is proven that innovative wastewater management can result in the redistribution of this water into the environment for irrigation and dust suppression, as well as to replenish rivers and catchments in our water infrastructure networks.”
Water master plan
Entering a rainy season, said Stubbs, does not mean water will last forever, so, large water-consuming industries need to consider different technologies available to drive this agenda.
“Fundamentally, if we don’t work together to tackle both supply and preservation, we are set to lose the battle,” she said.
According to the national water and sanitation master plan, if serious action is not taken, demand for water will exceed available supply by 2030.
That is between 10% and 15% deficit.
However, Stubbs said if the country considers investment needed to reach the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals related to water alone, which equates to $114-million (R2.1-billion) per annum, a change of attitude on wastewater is needed.
She explained: “Wastewater and the treatment thereof has become a critical consideration to addressing scarcity and safety issues.
“As with any other waste, we need to apply the nothing wasted mindset and find ways to take the water we have available and effectively manage it for reuse, repurposing and bring it back to its natural state.
“As industry at large creates many streams of effluent – not just municipal-related – we need to start looking towards treating a wider variety of liquid waste streams and think innovatively about how we create a circular economy within our water system.”
