Cape Town is setting aside more than R2bn to ensure that alternative water sources are brought online as it moves to avoid a similar scenario to day zero when the worst drought in a century nearly caused the city’s taps to run dry in 2018.
Cape Town is in a water-scarce area, despite being almost completely surrounded by sea. City officials say more than R2bn, a small fraction of the city’s R61bn total budget, will be set aside over the next three years to fast track desalination plans and build up capacity for water reuse and groundwater to ensure a reliable supply as the metro navigates future droughts.
Desalination removes salt and other minerals from seawater, making it suitable for human consumption.
The government estimates that by 2030, desalination plants could provide up to 10% of SA’s urban water supply.
This as water scarcity becomes an increasing threat across the country amid poor water infrastructure maintenance and investment, and persistent droughts linked to climate change.
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the Eastern Cape is currently grappling a debilitating water shortage that could lead to a major humanitarian crisis, and the collapse of many businesses in the metro. Water is crucial to several big industries, with agriculture using about 60% of all available water in the country for irrigation.
Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said the city’s climate change modelling indicates that over the next 30 years, the Western Cape water supply system’s yield will decrease by 25%.
“This underscores the city’s drive to ensure that our updated New Water Programme (NWP) planned time frames are met ... Over the next three financial years, the city will be investing about R2,05bn in our NWP, which is progressing well. We have already invested R1,55bn. This programme is designed to ensure that Cape Town’s water supply can withstand future drought,” Badroodien said.
The plan is for the city to be able to produce about 300-million litres more water a day by 2030.
About 740-million litres of water was being used per day over the past week. Dam levels are at about 73,9% compared to 88,5% last year. Depending on the amount of rainfall over the next four months, the dams will likely fill to over 90% — and possibly spill (100%), Badroodien said.
He said, however, that while the city may have dodged the day-zero bullet, the threat of a drought remains.
“While investment into future supply is taking place, residents and businesses are reminded to be water wise at all times to prevent wasting water.”
The city is also conducting a study to better understand the current water demand (total water use, including losses) and in what way this demand will increase. The study will also consider how Cape Town can reduce demand should the city face future drought. This is crucial in terms of planning augmentation schemes, Badroodien said.
phakathib@businesslive.co.za
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