WATER SECURIT Y
A diagram of urban watershed (Credit: GCRO)
need to implement measures to reduce demand and tightly manage the IVRS early. Government needs to make politically unpopular decisions in the short term before we end up in a situation that is difficult to recover from later. This is difficult within five-year political cycles, where we may make unpopular choices about water, but not necessarily reap the benefits in the short term. Furthermore, the water sector involves a complex system of institutions with different water-related mandates and stakeholders, which complicates its governance and management. Drought management requires different skill sets and expertise, and there must be coordination between these institutions,” explains Maree.
Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase II
LHWP Phase II is critical for Gauteng’s water security, which will see the IVRS expanded and strengthened by the
construction of the Polihali Dam on a tributary of the Orange-Senqu River. Maree maintains that until the project is completed, the province will be at risk of supply shortages if there is a prolonged dry period. Originally scheduled for completion by 2018, the LHWP is eight years late and if implemented immediately can now only be expected to supply water in 2028. This puts the province and surrounding IVRS region at significant risk if a serious drought occurs before the project is completed (which is likely).
Some good news Water Security Perspective for the Gauteng City-Region was work done at the request of the Gauteng Provincial
Government. “Numerous water specialists contributed to this work and government officials from various departments and water entities were present at nearly every meeting where water security was discussed. They made sure that we framed the document within an urban context. There are definite plans to implement the findings. This includes broader stakeholder engagement, but Covid-19 happened and has created challenges. There has certainly been a shift. Water is something that is now being taken much more seriously on high levels,” concludes Maree.