Sustainable solutions required to solve SA’s water challenges, says expert

South Africans face many challenges in their daily lives, a persistent challenge used to be load shedding, and now it is continuous water interruptions.

However, Investec believes there are sustainable solutions to the country’s water problem.

Melanie Humphries, Head of Investec Sustainable Solutions says it is important for people to understand that SA is a water scarce country. As a result, several regions in the country face interrupted water supply.

Interruption of water

Humphries says there are different sustainable solutions to address the challenge that leads to interruption of water. For an increase of availability of water, various infrastructure projects must take place, including the development of surface water sources, groundwater extraction, desalination and water reuse initiatives.

“Equally important is to reducing water demand to ensure long term sustainability of South Africa’s water resources.”

The Blue Drop report a total of 277 of 958 (29%) water supply systems were identified to be in a critical state in the country with only 26 water supply systems achieving a Blue Drop score of >95% and thus qualified for the prestigious Blue Drop Certification.

She says the Blue Drop audit covers the delivery, treatment, and distribution networks to the end user or consumer, specifically 958 water supply systems, 1,015 water treatment works (including boreholes and springs), 2,693 pump stations, 37,644 km bulk water supply lines, 136,645 km reticulation pipe lines, and 7,159 reservoirs.

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Guide to Water Resilience

“As set out in the CEO’s Guide to Water Resilience recently published by GreenCape and Wesgro, water resilience starts with understanding one’s water usage and associated risk.”

Humphries explains that by implementing water saving practices and technologies such as low-flow fixtures, smart irrigation systems, and leak detection, not only can water demand be significantly reduced, but the lifespan of existing water supplies can be extended.

“This approach not only help mitigate the risk of water shortages but also ensures a more efficient utilisation of available water resources.”

She adds sustainable water management options to reuse water and create alternative water supply sources such as rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and irrigation are also helpful in preventing impact caused by water outages and interruptions.

Humphries is of the idea these options help to diversify the water supply and reduce dependence, acting as a protective measure during droughts or water disruptions.

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SA needs a sustainability reset

“The reality is that SA needs a sustainability reset.” She adds it needs to be taken into consideration the natural resources required to support an economy that must remain competitive, but also meets the short and long-term needs of society.

“South Africa’s ongoing energy requirements, and the potential water crisis we may face as a country, is affecting not only individual households and businesses, but also our economic and growth prospects.”

Therefore, promoting access to dependable and sustainable solutions such as renewable energy, and sustainable water management approaches certainly provides more sustainable long-term solutions to any further disruptions and our ability to support our economy and society.

She says the most important thing is responsible use of energy and water management. Households and businesses are also focussed on resilience and business continuity.

“This means South African are not only investing in renewable solutions to take ownership of their sustainability impact but also to ensure that they are able to live and thrive in South Africa given some of the infrastructure challenges we face as a country.”

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