Water Shortage | savingwater.co.za

Drought threatens Eastern Cape industry

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 14 February 2011

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro, which is facing a critical water shortage, needs to raise more than R1bn to avert a potential economic disaster after the Treasury “indicated” it would not provide all the funding to alleviate the effects of a prolonged drought.

The drought threatens the government’s automotive production and development plan

Ali Said, the municipality’s infrastructure and engineering director, said last week the Treasury had indicated it would provide only R450m of a requested R1,6bn in aid or about 30% of the emergency funding.

The drought of more than three years threatens billions of rand in investment in the Eastern Cape’s industrial hub, including the government’s priority automotive production and development plan.

Water-intensive industries in the Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch area — including South African Breweries, Coca-Cola Fortune, Clover and Parmalat dairy products, chocolate maker Cadbury, and Sappi pulp and paper — have long reduced their water consumption by 25%. The Coega industrial development zone, Volkswagen SA and General Motors SA, which have between them pumped more than R10bn into the region, are also affected. Continue reading Drought threatens Eastern Cape industry

Water shortage of crisis proportions looms

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 03 February 2011

The maximum consumption that SA’s water resources can sustain will be reached in about five years, warns Engineering Council of SA vice-president Thoko Majozi.

Garden Rhapsody. A grey water solution by Water Rhapsody.

With floods causing havoc in seven provinces, it may be hard to believe that a water shortage of crisis proportions is looming. The maximum consumption that SA’s water resources can sustain will be reached in about five years, warns Engineering Council of SA vice-president Thoko Majozi.

“We have known for decades that SA will run out of water,” says Majozi. “It’s time everyone recognised that we live in a water-scarce country.”

So scarce that SA is the world’s 30th-driest country, says Jeremy Taylor, founder of water conservation company Water Rhapsody. He adds that SA has less water per person than its drier neighbours Botswana and Namibia.

SA has seen a little of what a prolonged drought can do in the Western Cape, where towns such as Sedgefield, Mossel Bay and Knysna have resorted to costly seawater desalination to stave off disaster.

But that’s nothing compared to what is heading Cape Town’s way, warns Taylor. He explains that the La Niña climate pattern causing floods in the northern provinces will have the reverse effect in the winter rainfall area. Continue reading Water shortage of crisis proportions looms

Franschhoek urged to cut water consumption by half

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 09 January 2011

The Stellenbosch Municipality on Saturday urged Franschhoek residents to slash their water consumption by half.

Using a watering can in the garden can conserve water. Photo by Christopher Craig

Reservoirs in Boland and [...]

Shortage of water in Nelson Mandela Bay still critical

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 28 December 2010

The five dams supplying water to the Nelson Mandela Bay are still at critical capacity levels despite the area having experienced recent rainfall, the municipality said on Tuesday.

Churchill Dam

The Kouga, Churchill, [...]

Summit tackles SA’s water issues

Posted by: Saving Water SA (Cape Town, South Africa) – partnered with Water Rhapsody conservation systems – 10 December 2010

Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System

The Water and Energy Summit currently underway in KwaZulu-Natal is bringing into sharp focus the country’s water problems and possible solutions are being tabled on how to best deal with the situation.

2010 has not been a good year for water in South Africa

2010 has not been a good year for water in South Africa, with drought posing a serious challenge in provinces, including the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa is already on the list of the 30 driest countries in the world. When poverty is added to the mix, the consequences become dire.

Acting Director General for the national Department of Water Affairs, Trevor Balzer, said water has to be at the centre of all development plans, especially South Africa’s socio-economic goals.

He said government’s current budget allocated to the Water Department is not sufficient to address the water provision backlog.

Balzer stressed the importance of municipalities effectively managing their water and energy systems, and appealed to ratepayers and civil organisations to not withhold fees from municipalities, even if they are aggrieved with service delivery.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize has challenged his province to proactively deal with the challenges of water shortages. He will request all municipalities to submit to his office their plans on water and energy resource management.

Additionally, he wants input from local, provincial and national government on these plans, with the aim of moving towards a single plan for water management. Continue reading Summit tackles SA’s water issues

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Drought threatens Eastern Cape industry

Water shortage of crisis proportions looms

Franschhoek urged to cut water consumption by half

Shortage of water in Nelson Mandela Bay still critical

Summit tackles SA’s water issues

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