Water-shedding to get worse in South Africa BY Shaun Jacobs

Water-shedding will likely become increasingly common in South Africa’s major metropolitan areas as infrastructure deteriorates and climate change makes rainfall more variable.

Prolonged outages in the country’s central and northern regions, particularly Gauteng, will significantly impact economic growth.

South Africa’s water infrastructure has been in a poor state for many years, with a lack of maintenance leading large parts of the supply chain to deteriorate.

This has resulted in around 40% of all water in South Africa not reaching the end consumer, lost to leakages on the way from bulk water suppliers.

Water in the country has also become increasingly unsafe for human consumption, with 51% of all water supplied to consumers not meeting microbiological safety standards.

This is a direct result of the collapse of wastewater infrastructure, with the Department of Water and Sanitation revealing that 68% of treatment plants are inadequate.

Professor David Walwyn, a climate specialist at the University of Pretoria, said this has exacerbated South Africa’s water scarcity issues.

In comparison to deteriorating infrastructure, South Africa has been aware of its water scarcity issue for decades. While this has largely been addressed, a growing population and mismanagement threaten water supply.

As climate change makes weather patterns more erratic, significant investment will be needed to increase the capture of rainfall, enhance reticulation in the system, and prevent leakages.

“We are rapidly approaching a point at which the total rainfall in South Africa is insufficient to meet demand,” Walwyn told Newzroom Afrika.

“If everyone in the country were to get an adequate supply of water, there would not be enough rainfall in a year to cover that demand.”

Current estimates from the Department of Water and Sanitation show that by 2030, demand will outstrip supply by 17%.

Furthermore, the department said around R900 billion would need to be invested in water infrastructure across South Africa to close this deficit.

Walwyn said increased demand and faltering supply are likely to result in increased water shedding in parts of the country.

Source: Coronation

Walwyn’s warning largely echoes that of Coronation, one of South Africa’s largest asset managers, which outlined its reasons for thinking water-shedding will become more common in South Africa.

In a research note, economist Marie Antelme and analyst Leila Joseph emphasised the importance of water in the economy and, in particular, to businesses.

Water is vital either as a direct input in the production of goods and services or through employee hygiene.

The asset manager has become so concerned about the rise in water-shedding that it is actively engaging with South African companies regarding its efforts to reduce their reliance on the centralised distribution system.

In particular, Antelme and Joseph flagged the collapse of local infrastructure as a particular cause for concern.

This is likely to be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, which they warned will limit the country’s freshwater sources.

South Africa is a water-scarce country, and the supply chain from source to tap is immensely complex. They said The regulatory framework governing water infrastructure is also complicated and problematic.

While the Department of Water and Sanitation regulates water as a resource, the provision of water – which most companies rely on – falls under the purview of local government.

The legislation governing the two entities is different, and one department cannot interfere with the workings and obligations of the other. Thus, appeals to the national government are often misplaced.

Water stoppages are increasingly common, and “water-shedding” has become common in most geographies outside of the Western Cape.

Of particular concern for Coronation are water shortages in South Africa’s economic hub of Gauteng, which has sustained prolonged periods of water-shedding since mid-2023.

SOURCE:Water-shedding to get worse in South Africa – Daily Investor