Institutional conundrum sinking groundwater supply in North West town

Abstract

Municipal water supply North West capital, Mahikeng, is one of several towns in South Africa dependent on groundwater resources. However, a complex array of organisational, operational and financial issues has been bedevilling water supply of late, leading to rising doubt about the sustainability of groundwater resources in meeting residents’ future demand. Lani van Vuuren reports. Groundwater offers many benefits, for example, it is usually cheaper to develop than surface water resources; it can usually be used with no or minimal treatment, it can be developed incrementally and usually in close proximity to where it is required. However, there still seems to be a reluctance to invest in groundwater supplies, and in the system and organisational requirements needed to keep them operating. With around 98% of South Africa’s surface water already allocated groundwater is bound to play a more meaningful role in local water supply in years to come. At present, only about half of the country’s groundwater resources (around 7 500 million m3/a) are being used.

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