Microscope refocused on SA water quality threat

Abstract

Eutrophication E utrophication is a persistent water quality problem, plaguing water resource managers around the globe. In South Africa, eutrophication has been recognised as a priority water quality problem for over 30 years. The country has some of the most nutrient enriched water bodies in the world, highly problematic considering that, as a water scarce country, South Africa is hugely dependent on water stored in dams. At present, 35% of the total storage available in our dams is either eutrophic (very nutrient enriched) or hypertrophic (extremely nutrient enriched). “If we add this to the number of dams in which the conditions are approaching eutrophic, then a total of 60% of our stored water is impaired,” reports Dr Bill Harding of DH Environmental Consulting and co-author of A Guide to Catchment-Scale Eutrophication Assessments for Rivers, Reservoirs and Lacustrine Wetlands, which has just been published by the WRC. A prolific problem Why is eutrophication so prolific in South Africa?

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