Water efficiency improvements, treated effluent reuse options, water trading and consumer demand management reconciliation options are the most realistic solutions to alleviate the challenge of water scarcity in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality as the District has limited scope of development of new water sources, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Wednesday.
Premier Modise commended the Department of Water Affairs for implementing water management plans in the District to improve the level of water use efficiency in local municipalities aimed at reducing high non-revenue water from leaks in the water reticulation, illegal connection and unbilled water.
The department projects that water requirements are likely to increase by approximately 11% over a 22 year period from 186.48 million m3/a, to 206.68 million m3/a, at the current level of water use efficiency and operation. This is based on the assumption that the current irrigation water requirement, which is the largest water user, will remain the same for the planning period.
The current water requirements for the District exceeds the available water supplies at the required assurance level of supply for the different sectors by approximately 34.58 million m3/a. The current deficit is expected to increase to 48.85 million m3/a, if the situation is not addressed as a matter of urgency.
As an intervention to mitigate against forecasted water shortage, the District Municipality has identified augmentation of existing water supplies at a local level through traditional methods, augmentation of existing water supplies by undertaking alternative methods such as treated effluent reuse options and water recycling as well as rainwater harvesting, Reallocation of water between users and across sectors to where the value of water is high (i.e. water trading and Implementation of Water Conservation and Water Demand Management in order to provide the savings to the growing demands as broad water reconciliation options available to meeting the current and future demands, particularly in the non-agricultural sector.
According to a report presented by Executive Mayor for municipality, Councillor Phaladi Saku, at the recent Extended Lekgotla, R146,8 million was spend within the municipality to bring access to clean running water to over 92 600 household in the past three financial years.
Over R167, 1 million has been allocated for projects that are being implemented in Verdwaal 2 in Ditsobotla Local Municipality, Top Village in Mafikeng, Braklaaagte in Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality and Ottosdal in Tswaing Local Municipality in the current financial year including construction of a 4.75 mega litre reservoir in Delarayville in the same municipality.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 388 3157
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
Water scarcity requires efficienct usage
Province
