limited ) and transfer schemes ( and where the opportunity exists , it is at great cost ); and
• Desalination : 1 . Small-scale seawater desalination is already being used in certain areas ; 2 . Treated mine water desalination is becoming more imperative ; 3 . Desalination of seawater on a large scale ; 4 . Catchment rehabilitation , clearing of invasive alien plants , and rainwater harvesting is growing in importance ; and 5 . Making more water available in the future , but at sharply rising costs .
“ Given constraints and demands on the resource , we cannot afford practices that reduce supply , such as pollution , inefficient water management practices , lack of infrastructure maintenance , unaccounted for water , and poor governance .
“ Our national economic and development priorities , together with the complex environment within which we operate , require a ‘ new ’ era of advanced and smarter water management . This strategy provides for robust and sustainable water sector institutions ( including nine catchment management agencies and nine regional water utilities ) that have the necessary capacity to manage our water resource sustainably and equitably , as well as ensure sustainable and effective service delivery ,” Balzer states .
According to him , the concepts , approaches , and themes spelt out in this strategy are in line with international principles and approaches ( World Water Forum and Rio + 20 Summit ) where social and economic goals are aligned , sector investment is increased , and water is recognised as fulfilling a central role in socio-economic planning and development .
“ A key challenge of this strategy is to increase our skills and capacity within the sector for both water resource management and water services . Institutions must be appropriately staffed and resourced , and towards this end we will continue to prioritise skills development , staff motivation , and capacity building at all levels . Increasing our regulatory capacity to improve compliance and ensure that standards and licence conditions are met , is an integral part of strengthening our institutional framework and capacity .
Contribution to transformation
“ Our sector makes a critical contribution to South Africa ’ s transformation , development and growth objectives . Access to safe water supply and making water available for productive purposes profoundly affects the daily lives of poor people and supports rural livelihoods . Through achieving these objectives we will significantly contribute to equity , redistribution , and reducing poverty in South Africa ,” says Balzer .
He points out that successful implementation of this strategy will bring about great benefits : access to water and sanitation for all South Africans ; availability of water to support economic growth and job creation ; protection of existing assets ; stimulation of the construction sector , including small and medium-scale enterprises ; and protection of our precious water resource for current and future generations .
The NWRS2 acknowledges that South Africa is a water-stressed country and is facing a number of water challenges and concerns , which include security of supply , environmental degradation and resource pollution , and the inefficient use of water .
The response to the strategic context and the imperatives set out in the three core objectives is delivered through strategic themes , which discuss in detail the context and challenges , key principles to be sustained , and objectives of that particular theme , and then proposes strategic actions to achieve the stated objectives .
The most important consideration in all themes discussed is that water is scarce and it requires careful management to enable provision of basic water services and equitable allocation , while meeting the needs of inclusive economic growth without threatening the integrity of aquatic ecosystems . The water resources planning , infrastructure and development theme indicates that
12 Water Sewage & Effluent November / December 2016