Water resource management and the water crisis

Water resource management (WRM) has changed immensely in the last decade – primarily due to climate change. By Mercin Baloyi, YWP member

Policies place far more emphasis on water management and its usage. Furthermore, WRM is viewed through a complex socio-economic system when complying with the principles of integrated water resource management and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

However, the dismal failure to mobilise resources and invest in waterrelated infrastructure has escalated into the current crises.

African countries are threatened by the abrupt and imminent realities of physical and economic water scarcity. High demand for quality water due to climate change, rapid urbanisation, high population growth rates, pollution, the deterioration of water resources, the shortage and poor allocation of resources, demographic changes, as well as poorly maintained and ageing water infrastructure puts pressure on the quality and quantity of potable water.

There is a lack of pro-poor awareness and administrative priorities relating to the importance of saving water, creating shared concerns and furthering the intention to safeguard water as a scarce and precious natural resource.

Illusion that water is in abundance

The motive behind finding solutions for our current water crises is founded on a keen interest in devising practical and innovative solutions to water supply security and demand management. Sadly, from the public’s perspective, the fallacy of water’s continuous availability and abundance is ingrained to the core. This is mainly due to the existence and use of outdated policies enacted while water was still abundant.

People predominantly think of water as a resource that covers 71% of the earth’s surface. In reality, only 3% of that water is drinkable, while only 1.2% of this 3% is accessible as surface water.

Knowledge plays a vital role in crisis management, and the most neglected subject relating to the water crisis is the illusion of knowledge. WRM practitioners presumably imagine that it is obvious for people to think of water as a scarce and precious resource. There is a need to formulate new ways of thinking, while imparting new knowledge is a challenging endeavour that requires a systematic form of psychological intervention.

People must unlearn the notion that water is abundant, and start dwelling on the rationale of water as 1.2% of the 3% of drinkable water. This will dictate how people act and alter their risk perceptions relating to water. There is a substantial need for conditioning people to think hydrologically. People need to perceive water as the primary constituent of foods, shelter, energy production, and the environment.

This will also change the belief that only the government can deal with water problems. Water crises can be addressed through collaborative efforts and demand a multilevel approach that includes the education systems, spheres of governance (international, regional, national, provincial and local), and other stakeholders. As people were made conscious about the Cape Town water crisis and their concern grew, their water usage behaviour was more easily shifted. It justifies the significance and effectiveness of the action-learning approach.

People predominantly think of water as a resource that covers 71% of the earth’s surface. In reality, only 3% of that water is drinkable – while only 1.2% of this 3% is accessible as surface water

Compliance, risk assessments and ICT

There is a need for probabilistic risk assessment in water management, budget tagging, expenditure tracking, and the prioritisation of water infrastructure development funds.

Furthermore, for efficiency in water supply, South Africa should monitor and evaluate the compliance with building codes, standards, and designs. Additionally, there should be a prominent feature of information and communications technology (ICT) and automated control technology, which are essential for tackling distribution network problems, monitoring physical water networks, supporting modern water network planning, water resource modelling, and serving as decision-informing support platforms and devising methods for energy cost optimisation, water scheduling and control. With the aid of ICT, the Department of Water and Sanitation should also develop a system that will allow for the public to report leaks and water shortages.

Infrastructure

Most importantly, water infrastructure should be developed with the aspects of financial gains and the fiscus in mind. It is important to avoid constructing single-purpose dams and water conveyance systems. The building of multipurpose dams and conveyance systems can optimise costs and derive multiple review streams. Ultimately, it can evoke the interest of private entities in the WRM sector by creating investment and partnership opportunities.

It will also be ideal to have a legislative requirement that necessitates the availability of probabilistic risk assessment reports and rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery plans before constructing water-related infrastructure. This will help to ensure that infrastructure is developed in a manner that is compliant with regulations, spatially sensitive and geared towards reducing the ecological footprint of uniformed infrastructure development.

South Africa should be in an implementing phase of WRM technologies. Such technologies include flood modelling and management systems, and the outcomes of water-related R&D. Ultimately, using a multilevel approach is essential for fostering a synergistic process towards managing water crises and reducing the siloed mentality among organs of state.