South Africa’s currently available freshwater sources are almost fully utilised and rainfall averages around 500mm per year (well below that of most parts of the UK). The country has high rainfall variability and in every major river catchments evaporation exceeds precipitation. Typically, small rivers in the western Cape receive around 550mm per year in precipitation, yet lose three times as much (1659mm) in evaporation. South Africa is both a semi-arid and a severely water-deficit country.
At the current population growth rate of 1.9% per year, it is unlikely that the demand on water resources in South Africa will be sustainable. Water supply will become a major restriction on future socio-economic development. To augment supplies, South Africa is looking towards water sources in other southern African countries (e.g. Lesotho, see Photo 4).
In 1995, the Government introduced the ‘Working for Water Project’, and there are now 300 such projects across the country. According to the project website its aims are ‘to enhance water security and promote the sustainable use of natural resources’. Water demanding trees, such as wattle (originally imported from Australia), are now being felled and replaced by indigenous (native) species, which often need much less water than imported ones.
According to reports, during 2003 South Africa experienced its worst drought for ten years. Emergency water supplies were being trucked to millions. Farm workers were laid off because there was no work, and harvests of maize, sunflower and soya were much reduced because of the lack of rainfall.
Across the country an estimated 3 million people have no access to running water in the home (although many believe this to be a gross under-estimate). Some families have access to a communal tap in or near their village, but many rely on water from stagnant pools. This then has to be carried a long way back to the home (usually by women, see Photo 17), in this case by donkey cart. The three young men shown here have just finished school and are on their way to the local river to collect water.
The Ministry of Water Affairs introduced its Water Act in 1998. This Act seeks to provide everyone with clean running water by 2008. Under the Act, low-income families will be guaranteed 25 litres of water a day compared with the World Health Organisation’s target of 10 litres. The intention is to provide communal taps in every village, within 200m of every household. Ambitious targets indeed but can they be achieved?
Ideas for further exploration:
For more information on rainfall, water supply and many other environmental topics, see the excellent South Africa’s State of the Environment site. You can also access the State of the Environment information on water balances.
- Select a river basin, locate it on the map of river catchments at www.grida.no and explain to your group what is happening in terms of precipitation and evaporation.
- If all the river basins in South Africa are in deficit, can you explain why they still have water in them?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages for these boys and their families in terms of the water they are collecting?
- The boys are carrying four large water containers on their donkey cart. Can you estimate how much water they will be able to take back to their village? How does this compare to the amounts being carried by the girls in collecting water?
- What does the donkey cart illustrate in both positive and negative terms in relation to the development of this area?
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