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Peter Shepherd
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Finding ways to do it better
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South Africa needs to find ways to better conserve water,
as well as other sources inside and outside its borders, says
principal hydrologist and partner at SRK Consulting Peter
Shepherd. By Martin Czernowalow
A
Water Sewage & Effluent November/December 2016
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t our current growth rate, South Africa is going to run out of water — in other words, our
demand will outstrip our national supply. “In Gauteng, this has already happened, which
is why we import water from Lesotho. We, therefore, face the twofold challenge of firstly
using water more efficiently so we can conserve what little we have, and secondly finding other
sources within or outside of our borders,” Shepherd explains.
Shepherd says one of South Africa’s most immediate challenges is that the country has some
aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced, especially insofar as sewage and reticulation is
concerned. “The money and effort we spend on this infrastructure is to prevent wastage of our
precious resource. Sectors such as farming, industry and mining also need to continue striving
towards minimising any spillage and decant into our water resources; progress on this front will
help ensure sustainable supplies of clean water for downstream users.”
In the longer term, Shepherd points out, the country will need to make more extensive use
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