Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Minister Pemmy Majodina stated that water availability in the country could deteriorate rapidly as supply contracts, and demand escalates. This is due to economic and population growth, urbanisation, and inefficient use.
Majodina also pointed out that increasing physical losses in municipal distribution systems, degradation of wetlands, and the impacts of climate change could also raise challenges.
She said that interruptions in the implementation of surface water resource development projects in the past have now been addressed. And all the planned projects have been accelerated.
Lesotho Highlands Water Project
“All the major contracts for Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project were awarded in 2023. And construction is under way. The affordability problem, which had resulted in delays in the Umkhomazi Water Project, was resolved. And eThekwini and surrounding municipalities finally signed long-term off-take agreements for the project in January 2024.
“Similarly, the funding issue that delayed the construction of the Ntabelanga Dam on the Umzimvubu River has been resolved. And construction of the dam will start shortly,” said Majodina.
She said her department and DWS and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) are in a joint project. They are currently implementing 14 major national water resource infrastructure projects. These are done around the country, and are valued at more than R100-billion. Including Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
“These projects include the raising of the walls of the Hazelmere, Clanwilliam, Tzaneen, and Klipfontein Dams. The projects will address future raw water needs for industry, agriculture, and domestic use.
However, there are limits to which South Africa can keep building dams to address its water security needs. “We are already harnessing approximately 75% of our utilisable surface water resources. And the remaining opportunities for capturing surface water in large dams are expensive.
Diversify the water resource mix
“Broadening of South Africa’s water resource mix is therefore critical for water security. We need to diversify the water resource mix by increasing the sustainable use of groundwater. Making more use of desalination of sea water in our coastal towns and cities. And by reusing water from the waste-water treatment systems in our towns and cities,” she said.
Majodina also stated that measures to increase the supply of raw water are needed. There is a need to implement measures to reduce the demand for water.
“If we are to avoid water shortages in the future, South Africans need to change their behaviour. They need to treat water like the scarce resource that it is. This means that municipalities must fix the leaks in their water distribution systems. We cannot afford to be throwing away almost half of the water that is supplied to municipalities through leaks,” she said.
