South Africa would need to invest about R700-billion in the next 10 to 15 years to refurbish the nation’s water infrastructure and improve water supply, Department of Water Affairs (DWA) acting director-general Trevor Balzer said last week.

This was another rise from the estimated R670-billion – and from the initial estimate of R573-billion – capital requirement tabled earlier this year when the second National Water Resources Strategy was published.

Speaking at the third South African Water, Energy and Food Forum, in Fourways, Balzer noted that offsets by way of operating efficiencies, improved water management and governance, were still under discussion.

Currently, only between 42% and 45% of the funding needed to finance the water infrastructure development is available from existing sources.

The country has reached a crossroads where a shift from cur- rent conventional thinking to business unusual thinking was required and a new “era of smart water management” had emerged, he said.

Continued urbanisation, industrialisation, mining, energy and agriculture placed increasing pressure on the management and allocation of South Africa’s dwindling water resources, the demand of which is expected to rise over 1% a year over the next ten years.

Over the last ten years, domestic consumption has increased from accounting for 22% of water supply to 27%.

The agriculture industry, which currently consumes over 60% of available water, is expected to increase consumption as it moves to ensure the growth aspira- tions outlined in the National Development Plan.

Water consumption for energy generation – currently consuming between 2% and 3% – will increase 85% by 2035 on the back of increased electricity demand.

The mining and industrial sectors used 2.5% and 3% respectively of the available water in South Africa.

The country’s 4 395 registered dams are fast approaching capacity, currently reaching 98%, and opportunities and sites to build new dams are in short supply.

Progressive strategies to ensure a sustainable equitable water mix and to reconcile supply and demand are required and stakeholders need to re-examine water demand management, desalination, rainwater harvesting, acid mine drainage mitigation and water conservation.

The department aims to establish new regional water utilities, which will complement the existing 152 water service authorities, 98 water user associations and 12 water boards.

South Africa is set to establish nine new water catchment management agencies (CMAs), as the DWA moves to replace the 19 existing agencies within the next three to five years.

The DWA aims to bring all stakeholders together with a common ambition of ensuring equitable and sustainable water supply.

The nine CMAs, two of which are already functional, will provide “wall-to-wall” coverage of the country.