Six provinces experiencing water shortages are being monitored by the Department of Water and Sanitation‚ which says it will deploy water tanks and drill boreholes in the short-term in areas that are severely affected by drought.
The six provinces are Mpumalanga‚ KwaZulu-Natal‚ Limpopo‚ North West‚ Free State and now Western Cape.
The provinces that have already been declared drought-stricken are KwaZulu-Natal‚ Free State‚ North West and Limpopo‚ which was declared a disaster zone last week.
“In the short and immediate term‚ we have [sent water tanks] to areas in distress.
“We will also be drilling boreholes where it is needed‚” Deborah Mochotlhi‚ the Deputy Director-General responsible for Planning and Information at the department‚ told Parliament’s portfolio committee that has oversight on water and sanitation.
The briefing comes as many parts of the country are experiencing severe water shortages as water reserves run low – resulting in demand exceeding supply.
MPs were told South Africa’s “current water mix currently stands at 88% assurance level of supply constituted by 77% surface resources‚ 9% ground‚ 14% return flows and desalination is less than 1%”‚ according to a report on government’s website.
Mochotlhi said the country’s national rainfall and evaporation was skewed – with the rain falling towards the eastern parts while evaporation increased westwards.
She said the department was‚ in a bid to mitigate the current situation‚ looking at altering the water mix in order to get more resources.
“In the medium term‚ we have desalination that will be applicable in the coastal areas and we have transfers from one scheme to another where possible.
“We also have the eradication of illegal water use.
“Fresh water is at its limit at most catchments that I have already indicated. There are measures in place to deal with that.
“According to the rain forecast‚ we will be experiencing drought for quite some time‚” she said.
A long-term measure the department is looking at is infrastructure development‚ Mochotlhi said.
Matlakala Motloung‚ the head of communications at the department‚ said dam levels were being monitored on a daily basis.
Government promises to send out water tanks and drill boreholes in drought areas
Six provinces experiencing water shortages are being monitored by the Department of Water and Sanitation‚ which says it will deploy water tanks and drill boreholes in the short-term in areas that are severely affected by drought.
The six provinces are Mpumalanga‚ KwaZulu-Natal‚ Limpopo‚ North West‚ Free State and now Western Cape.
The provinces that have already been declared drought-stricken are KwaZulu-Natal‚ Free State‚ North West and Limpopo‚ which was declared a disaster zone last week.
“In the short and immediate term‚ we have [sent water tanks] to areas in distress.
“We will also be drilling boreholes where it is needed‚” Deborah Mochotlhi‚ the Deputy Director-General responsible for Planning and Information at the department‚ told Parliament’s portfolio committee that has oversight on water and sanitation.
The briefing comes as many parts of the country are experiencing severe water shortages as water reserves run low – resulting in demand exceeding supply.
MPs were told South Africa’s “current water mix currently stands at 88% assurance level of supply constituted by 77% surface resources‚ 9% ground‚ 14% return flows and desalination is less than 1%”‚ according to a report on government’s website.
Mochotlhi said the country’s national rainfall and evaporation was skewed – with the rain falling towards the eastern parts while evaporation increased westwards.
She said the department was‚ in a bid to mitigate the current situation‚ looking at altering the water mix in order to get more resources.
“In the medium term‚ we have desalination that will be applicable in the coastal areas and we have transfers from one scheme to another where possible.
“We also have the eradication of illegal water use.
“Fresh water is at its limit at most catchments that I have already indicated. There are measures in place to deal with that.
“According to the rain forecast‚ we will be experiencing drought for quite some time‚” she said.
A long-term measure the department is looking at is infrastructure development‚ Mochotlhi said.
Matlakala Motloung‚ the head of communications at the department‚ said dam levels were being monitored on a daily basis.
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