News from the SA water sector

Abstract

UPFRONT A new publication which can assist small towns, especially in the Northern Cape, deal with the onslaught of climate change, has been published by the Water Research Commission (WRC). Most climate projection models suggest a decrease in rainfall over the western part of southern Africa in the coming decades. The Northern Cape, where water resources are already scarce, small towns and subsistence farmers are thought to be most vulnerable. Most rural residents (or 30% of total population) are dependent on groundwater reserves. However, the reliability of groundwater supplies is not adequate due to, among others, restricted resource availability, quality of water, erratic precipitation, drought and water management issues. The WRC funded study, undertaken by the University of Cape Town, investigated the adaptive capacity of small towns and communities in the Northern Cape to climate variability, specifically drought. In the past, poor planning for emergencies and the lack of structured contingency plans have resulted in water shortages during times of scarce rainfall.

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