surface water sources are limited in many catchments , as indicated by Reconciliation Strategies , and that infrastructure as well as the costs of construction and maintenance is prohibitive .
South Africa has to prioritise — considering the mix of options available — to supply the huge water demands for equitable allocation aimed at development and economic growth . The country will thus consider other potential sources , which include water re-use ; desalination ; groundwater utilisation ; water conservation and water demand management measures ; rainwater harvesting ; recovering water from acid mine drainage ; and the import of water intensive goods .
The NWRS2 states that these measures will augment the available water resources to support the key developmental objectives of the country . One of the objectives is the equitable allocation of water resources .
Water allocation
The strategy recognises that the manner in which water was allocated in the past was unequal and favoured the white section of the population in South Africa . The NDP and NWA collectively inform the intended means to redress past imbalances in the manner in which water was allocated .
The perspective of equity in the strategy is three dimensional and includes equity in access to water services , equity in access to water resources , and equity in access to the benefits from water resource use through economic , social , and environmental development and management . The strategy intends to achieve these objectives through the use of the Water Allocation Reform Programme and mechanisms proposed , which include water set aside specifically for redress , compulsory licensing , general authorisations , development support , and partnerships to ensure that water is made available to previously disadvantaged groups .
The water resource protection theme emphasises the need to protect our fresh water ecosystems , which are under threat because of pollution from many sources . The need for the determination and preservation of the ecological reserve as well as the classification of river fresh water systems will be a priority . This will assist in determining the nature and the extent of pollution to provide appropriate rehabilitation solutions . The strategy stresses the need for the value of water to be appreciated , and for the attitudes and habits of all citizens to change towards water and to work towards its protection . It is reported that climate change will progressively alter the environment in future and present new challenges . The effects of climate change include higher temperatures , altered rainfall patterns , and increased occurrences of drought and floods . The strategy proposes the development of adequate capacity within the sector and the country for monitoring and effective detection , as well as adaptation to protect water and to ensure sustainable water supplies into the future .
The Reconciliation Strategies project depletion in the water supplies for some water supply systems in the country . In light of the urgency to protect water resources and the adverse effects of climate change , the NWRS2 submits that water conservation and water demand management should be a top priority . Measures are needed to reconcile demand and supply to provide for our goals of a better life for all through job creation and economic growth .
Research published by the Water Research Commission ( WRC ) in 2013 indicates that non-revenue water ( NRW ) for urban supply systems over the past six years was at an average of 36.8 %, which is equal to 1.5 billion m 3 / a from a total urban consumption of approximately 4.3 billion m 3 / a .
This research also indicates that in many municipal water supply schemes , the figures are even worse , with NRW in some cases up to 90 %. The irrigation sector , which uses some 60 % of the country ’ s water resources , accounts for losses of between 35 % and 45 %. u
“ Over the past 10 years , water consumption of the domestic sector has increased from 22 % to 27 % of the total resource .” tech news industry debate infrastructure municipalities networking
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