ENVIRONMENT and ENERGY
41 as drip irrigation or, when managed and operated effectively, results in significant improvements in water use efficiency.
• Create an enabling environment to facilitate technology transfer about water use efficiency and productivity improvement technologies, such as the water accounting system( WAS) developed by the WRC for irrigation schemes.
• Improve scheduling of irrigation through the use of soil moisture content monitoring instruments( probes and wetting front detectors).
• The development of Water Management Plans( WMP) by Water Users Associations( WUA) is central to implementing WCWDM in the agricultural sector. WMPs will be similar to the Water Services Development Plans( WSDP) currently developed by municipalities. Essentially, the process aims to conserve water, to improve water supply services to irrigation farmers, and to enable them to use irrigation water more efficiently.
• The process involved in analysing current water use, setting targets for improved efficiency and planning a realistic means of reaching these targets, is very important within this sector and should be given priority.
• The DWS is promoting and has initiated the development of water management plans by all irrigation schemes. A pilot project in 14 irrigation schemes has identified considerable reductions in water losses to be achieved, essentially through infrastructure asset management and operation. It is thus important that irrigation schemes develop water management plans.
Mining As a result of the history of the mining sector, it has in many ways been a foundation on which the modern economy of South Africa is built.
A number of factors drive and influence future water demand, such as economic policies. In this regard, mining and the industrial sector are seen as key sectors that are expected to drive economic growth and water demand, thereby exerting more stress on water resources. With the mining industry expanding( particularly for coal and platinum), unavoidably, these new mines are located in water-scarce catchments.
The implementation of demand-side management, among others, will contribute to the sustainable utilisation of water and reduce unnecessary abstraction of water.
Industry South African industries range from the processing of agricultural and forestry products, construction, manufacturing( such as iron and steel), food processing, textiles, and commercial industries, to tourism-related industries. Water supply to these sectors can be grouped into two broad categories: those that are abstracting water from a water resource and regulated in terms of the NWA( mainly mines, power stations and some industries), and those that are serviced( water supply and wastewater treatment) by water services providers( WSP), mainly commercial and most industries.
All industries use water in either their main or secondary activities, including office buildings. The use of water per unit output can range by order of magnitude within any one industrial sector and also between industrial sectors. In many cases, the range in water use within a sector is greater than the differences in water use, even between sectors.
However, there is considerable scope to implement WCWDM in the industrial sector, particularly for those industries that have not yet implemented water-efficient technologies and systems.
Principles Managing the quantity and reliability( efficiency) of South Africa’ s water resources aims to achieve optimum, longterm, environmentally sustainable, social, and economic benefits for society.
• Water conservation and measures to manage demand are implemented to actively apportion and manage water resources to promote equitable access to water use in desired quantity and reliability.
• The national WCWDM strategy provides the necessary linkage between WCWDM and integrated water resources management( IWRM). WCWDM is an integral part of the planning processes for water resources and water supply( to agriculture, domestic, industry, mines, and power) and water services( local government).
• Water institutions strive to supply and use water in an efficient and effective manner by minimising water losses and promoting WCWDM to their consumers. Water institutions( including water services institutions) ensure that they improve water use efficiency, reduce water losses in their systems, and promote WCWDM to their consumers on an ongoing basis.
• In line with the requirements of the National Water Act, water users in South Africa may not waste water and must use water efficiently.
• Partnerships and collaboration between the private sector and the public sector are adopted and strengthened to ensure the sustained implementation of WCWDM between sectors.
• Research and development ensures that appropriate and efficient solutions are discovered and employed. Continued on page 43 >>
www. plumbingafrica. co. za April 2017 Volume 23 I Number 2