VIEWPOINT | Water security – a worsening crisis?

South Africa’s water challenges have not received the same degree of public attention as the energy crisis, despite the 2023 cholera outbreak and other factors jeopardising the provision of clean, drinkable water. Caroline Gelderblom, Policy, Integration and Risk Manager of WWF South Africa explains how companies can help as we reach the midpoint on the path to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all. 

What are some of South Africa’s most pressing water challenges and what are some contributing factors? 

South Africa’s available water (mean annual runoff) is one-seventh of the global average, according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Green Book and we are already using over 98% of the available water. The National Water Resource Strategy 3 (NWRS-3) predicts an 18% deficit in water supply as early as 2030 and in many areas the availability of water is already a significant limitation for economic growth. In addition, the distribution of our rainfall is not near the demand centres, which means a very complex system is needed to transport water to where it is needed. In many places this is exacerbated by infrastructure challenges within municipalities, which result in inadequate basic services. As a result, three million South Africans do not have access to a basic water supply and over 14 million do not have safe sanitation.  

Has underinvestment contributed to the current water crisis and, if so, what type of investments are needed most?  

The Department of Water and Sanitation has acknowledged a R33 billion annual funding gap between what is needed for the maintenance of infrastructure and the current budget. This has contributed to the loss of 35% of water to leaks and, shockingly, that 56% of wastewater treatment works and 44% of water treatment works function poorly. A further 11% of water treatment works are regarded as being dysfunctional. The delivery of a regular supply of clean water ultimately depends on healthy catchments and this is where a further hidden crisis lies. The ecological infrastructure of our catchments has also not been well maintained and maintenance is not adequately included in the department’s budget projections. For example, many catchments have become infested with invasive alien plants, which use up to 60% of streamflow in droughts and dry seasons. Eroded catchments can result in very rapid siltation of dams, which severely decreases the quality of the water they can deliver.  

Some of the water ‘solutions’ we have produced in the country are not necessarily ideal. Which sustainable solutions do we need to work towards and how can we achieve these goals?  

The most cost-effective way to produce additional water, apart from fixing leaks and reducing demand, is to restore catchments by removing invasive alien plants. This nature-based solution is much more effective than any other option. In the case of Cape Town, in 2020 it was calculated that it would cost R2 to R3 per cubic metre for alien clearing vs R5 for groundwater use or R10 for desalination. 

How do you think companies can help to mitigate the crisis and ensure the sustainable provision of good quality water?  

Companies are exposed to two forms of water risk. The first is operational water risks, which are the outcomes of companies’ internal actions and those of their suppliers that must be addressed by improved internal water stewardship and procurement policies. The second is basin risk, which can only be reduced through collective action that improves the condition of the broader catchment. The WWF Water Risk Filter is a free global tool that allows companies to assess and respond to both forms of risk. 

Can you highlight collaborative efforts on the part of the different stakeholders – the government, companies or NPOs – to overcome the challenges we face and what has made these efforts successful? 

Our strategic water source areas cover only 10% of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, but they produce over 50% of our water and support 64% of our economy and over 90% of the people living in large metros. The national importance of these strategic water source areas has been recognised in several key pieces of national legislation. In response, water source partnerships have been established in several water source areas for the public and private sectors to take proactive collective action to restore catchments and reduce exposure to water risk. These partnerships involve all spheres of government – national, provincial and local – and companies active in the water, environmental, development planning and agricultural sectors to work together on collaborative planning and implementation. The Development Bank of Southern Africa has recently established a new Water Partnership Office, which will blend finance to support the adaptation of working with municipalities and the private sector to improve built water infrastructure. It is hoped this will be enhanced by the allocation of finance to the restoration of supportive ecological infrastructure.