Western Cape Business 2017 edition

OVERVIEW
Water
Farms and factories are becoming water wise.
SECTOR INSIGHT
WWF-South Africa and
Woolworths are working on
rural water plans.
• UCT researchers have
won a Water Research
Commission prize.
• French company Veolia
is installing desalination
plants.
In 2030 South African demand for water will be 17% greater than
supply. That is the verdict of the 2030 Water Resources Group.
The Western Cape’s dams were at 61% in the fourth quarter of
2016, against 90% at the same time in 2015. The biggest provincial
dam, which is Cape Town’s main source of water as well as providing
irrigation for farms, Theewaterskloof, stood at 52%, 14% down on the
previous year. Elsewhere:
• Garden Route Dam (George) was at 72% versus 100% in 2015
• Kammanasie Dam (Oudtshoorn) was at 29% versus 100% in 2015
• Hartebeestkuil Dam (Mossel Bay) was at 52% versus 88% in 2015
In November 2016, the City of Cape Town introduced level-three
water restrictions, banning all irrigation systems and hosepipes for
domestic lawns.
The good news is that South Africa and the Western Cape are doing
something about the situation. Times of crisis can also be times when
innovation and entrepreneurship come to the fore.
The Water Resources Group, an international consortium of private
companies, agencies and development banks, has established a South
African chapter, the Strategic Water Partners Network (SWPN). It has a
focus on three things: water efficiency and leakage reduction; effluent
and wastewater management; and the agricultural supply chain.
SWPN aims to support government and programmes have been put
in place in all three areas that are showing results.
The Western Cape Provincial Government has a two-pronged
strategy: new water infrastructure for agriculture and water demand
management programmes to
improve efficiency.
In terms of its water infrastructure
and maintenance of its
wastewater treatments plants,
the Western Cape fares relatively
well compared to most other
South African regions. Only 3%
of households reported to the
General Household Survey of
2014 that their water services had
been interrupted. Fully 87.7% were
satisfied with water delivery services.
Access to water and sanitation
in the province is generally
very good.
A provincial scheme to improve
rivers has been outlined
by Premier Helen Zille. The River
Improvement Plan ultimately
seeks to improve the lives of
people living alongside rivers,
but also ensure that river
water quality enhances the region’s
economy. The fruit, grape
and wine sectors need good
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