Ways to beat the water crisis

24 April 2015 - 02:02 By Ike Motsapi, Department of Water & Sanitation

South Africa is facing a challenge of water scarcity and the situation is exacerbated by increasing population growth, urbanisation, expansion of economic activities, pollution, waste and climate change. According to findings presented at the 2012 Conference on Water Scarcity in Africa: Issues and Challenges, it is estimated that, by 2030, between 75 million and 250million people in Africa will be living in areas of high water stress, and there is likelihood of displacement as the conditions become increasingly unlivable.Integrated water resource management aims to provide access to sufficient water resources, ensure water is available for productive use and secure the environmental function of water.It seeks to strike a balance between resource use and conservation to sustain its functions for future generations.Sustainability means that the protection of water resources must be balanced by their development and use.The approach attempts to address competing demands from different sectors and the sustenance of ecosystem livelihoods and biodiversity by involving stakeholders.But climate change is expected to exacerbate water scarcity due to changes in rainfall patterns all over the world.Climate change has a direct impact on five aspects of the environment, namely water security, ecosystems, air quality, oceans and weather changes.These, in turn, affect some aspects of human health such as water-borne diseases, allergies, respiratory diseases and many others. ..

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