Minister Sisulu briefing the media on the outcomes of the technical MINMEC meeting on drought and the department’s ongoing efforts to mitigate drought in different parts of the country. Image Credit: www.sanews.gov.za

Home » South Africa Takes Immediate Measures to Mitigate Drought

South Africa Takes Immediate Measures to Mitigate Drought

As parts of South Africa continue to experience the effects of a severe drought, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has announced immediate and long-term measures to mitigate the resulting risks. Parts of the country have been devastated by the lengthy drought. These photos here were posted this weekend, taken in the Great […]

By SAPeople Contributor
04-12-19 11:18
in Business
Minister Sisulu briefing the media on the outcomes of the technical MINMEC meeting on drought and the department’s ongoing efforts to mitigate drought in different parts of the country. Image Credit: www.sanews.gov.za

As parts of South Africa continue to experience the effects of a severe drought, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has announced immediate and long-term measures to mitigate the resulting risks.

Minister Sisulu briefing the media on the outcomes of the technical MINMEC meeting on drought and the department’s ongoing efforts to mitigate drought in different parts of the country. Image Credit: www.sanews.gov.za

Parts of the country have been devastated by the lengthy drought. These photos here were posted this weekend, taken in the Great Karoo:

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Sisulu reiterated in a briefing that the department needs to look at new ways of providing the services – like water supply – that it is responsible for. She announced the following measure:

Immediate measures to mitigate drought in South Africa:

Sisulu announced that in the short-term, the department will implement measures to mitigate drought and these include:

  • Implementing drought operating rules;
  • Undertaking borehole drilling and/or rehabilitation;
  • Water tankering from available sources;
  • Rainwater & fog harvesting;
  • Protection and use of springs;
  • Cloud seeding;
  • Evaporation suppression;
  • Desalination of brackish groundwater or sea water; and
  • Effluent treatment and re-use. 

Long-term measures to cope with drought in South Africa

In the long-term, the department will implement measures to enhance water security against drought. These include:

  • Water storage and transfer developments;
  • Water infrastructure such as dams and conveyance pipelines will be developed to redistribute water over time and space;
  • Review and promulgate restrictions within the legislation to restore and protect ecological infrastructure; and
  • Developing and integrating other sources like groundwater, desalination and re-use, etc., with surface systems also to enhance water security.

Sisulu noted that desalination remains an expensive form of water security and only the coastal provinces would be beneficiaries of desalination.

Reducing domestic consumption to 175 litres per person 

Meanwhile, Sisulu said the department will develop and implement water conservation and water demand strategies in all water use sectors.

This will be done through public-private growth initiative projects and reducing the average domestic consumption to 175 litres per person per day.

The department will also optimise the water mix, which is currently strongly dominated by surface water. This will be done by increasing some groundwater use, re-use of effluent from waste water treatment plants, water reclamation, as well as desalination and the treated acid mine drainage.

Source: SAnews.gov.za