Water Wheel May/June 2013

Abstract

Fluid Thoughts Fluid Thoughts WRC CEO, Dhesigen Naidoo The global water conversation has taken a new turn on the back of increased information access and the world reaching a point where it is now impossible to ignore the scarcity of the resource. It is also important that the dialogue now includes business partners as the World Economic Forum recognises the availability of good quality water as a principal business risk globally. While this is a revelation for most of the developed world, this is not news for most of the developing world, and South Africa in particular. Throughout its history, South Africa has been acutely aware of the fact that it operates in a semi-arid environment with parts of the country already water scarce (with freshwater availability of 1 000 m3/person/year or less) and the average of the country being water stressed (<1 700 m3 /person/year). Even where the rainfall figures are much more favourable, climate and weather variability has added to availability challenges, with periods of intense flooding interspersed with long dry periods.

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