Healthy natural landscapes such as veld, wetlands, rivers, and estuaries across South Africa generate value to the economy amounting to at least R275 billion per year, a new study by economists at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has found. This is equivalent to at least 7% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), or three times the annual combined value generated by the … [Read more...]
How can we store Cape Town’s stormwater for drier months?
Cape Town uses about 300 million cubic metres of water annually, most of which comes from the six major reservoirs. But every year four times as much as that falls on the city as rain. Now civil engineer and PhD researcher John Okedi is studying ways in which this water can be used to offset the current water shortage. At present, most of the storm water that falls on the … [Read more...]
Ice stupa brings hope and water to the Indian desert
In the far north of India, a cold mountain desert is the stunning backdrop to an unprecedented icy structure. This is a land of extremes, where rainfall is scarce and temperatures range wildly from torrid to far below freezing. The locals say it's the only place in the world where a man, sitting in the sun with his feet in the shade, can suffer sunstroke and frostbite at the … [Read more...]
Disaster relief money starts flowing into Western Cape
The Western Cape government has received the first tranche of the money it needs to cope with the devastating drought and fires in the province, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Des van Rooyen said on Tuesday. The first tranche of R34 866 263 was transferred on August 21 to the municipalities of Cape Town, Bitou and Theewaterskloof and a second … [Read more...]
Cape Town’s bleak water future: time to call in the groundwater experts
Premier Helen Zille’s Day Zero of March next year is highly credible, and without drastic action we could run out of water. The city and the province could find solutions by pulling in the experts who can play a role in helping us through the next summer. We need to plan for the worst, and hope for the best. Now. The Western Cape province in general and the City of Cape Town … [Read more...]
Drought is the new normal, says Mayor De Lille
The following speech was delivered by the City of Cape Town’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille (top photograph), at the full Council meeting on 27 July 2017: I would like to welcome all councillors back from the mid-year recess. I trust that we are ready to continue taking service delivery to the next level. Let me start with the drought crisis and yes, despite the … [Read more...]
50 000 litres of sewage flow into SA’s rivers every second
South Africa’s municipal sewage system has largely collapsed. Of the 824 treatment plants, maybe only 60 release clean water. Raw or partially treated sewage flows into rivers throughout the country, turning dams green and killing people who drink the polluted water. From big metros such as Johannesburg to towns like Villiers in the Free State, what is flushed down the … [Read more...]
Fracking in the Karoo: a disaster in the making
Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure, which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. This is the basis for fracking, and also the root of the problem in the Karoo. As you may or may not … [Read more...]
Cape Town adopts “precautionary approach” to underground water tunnels
The City of Cape Town has responded to a video filmed by vlogger Adam Spires in which he explored the city’s underground tunnels and claimed to have discovered that almost 7 billion litres of water appears to run through the tunnels and out into the sea where it goes to waste. The City said it has been aware of these springs off the Table Mountain range and has been … [Read more...]
Planned Mpumalanga coal mine will devastate water hotspot
Yesterday, a coalition of eight civil society and community organisations launched proceedings in the Pretoria High Court against Indian owned mining company Atha-Africa Ventures Pty Ltd. The coalition is asking the High Court to stop the mining company from commencing with any mining or related activities inside the Mabola Protected Environment outside Wakkerstroom in … [Read more...]
Can Cape Town turn water crisis into leading by example?
As Cape Town continues to experience the worst drought on record in South Africa, the city has the opportunity to implement solutions that will not only address this acute environmental shock, but also strengthen the fabric of the city overall. The city has less than 10% of its useable water remaining for all of its nearly 4 million residents, representing one of the lowest … [Read more...]
Western Cape declared a disaster area amid worst drought in 100 years
Premier Helen Zille has officially declared the Western Cape a disaster area in response to the current drought – the worst since 1904. “The disaster declaration will accelerate the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre’s project 'Avoiding Day Zero', the province’s strategy to ensure that taps do not run dry,” said Zille. The declaration will be formally gazetted … [Read more...]
Cape Town issues critical warning on dire water shortage
The City of Cape Town has issued a “critical warning” to its residents to only use water for drinking‚ bathing and cooking. This comes after its usable dam water levels reached 11.2% this week. The city has also applied to the mayoral committee for the application of level 4 water restrictions. “This communication serves as a critical warning to all water users in Cape … [Read more...]
