Water Scarcity Solutions In Africa

Water investment is critical to help bring africa s people out of poverty.

Water scarcity solutions in africa. This is according to water sector experts who were speaking ahead of ifat africa the water sewage refuse and recycling industry s key annual trade fair and conference which is set to take place in johannesburg in july 2019. Water scarcity solutions for south africa rodney mazinter feb 10 2016 0 comment water or rather the lack of it is an issue that looks set to affect the lives of every person rich or poor. The continent is slowly declining to a state of water scarcity which is less than 1 000 cubic meters of water per person per year. According to predictions reported at the 2012 conference on water scarcity in africa.

Integrated water resource management iwrm is becoming recognised as the only sustainable solution to water scarcity. This will likely displace 24 million to 700 million people as conditions there become increasingly unlivable. The world health organization reports that every 1 investment made into clean water efforts leads to 3 4 dollars generated in regional economies 3. See full case study with annual precipitation of 1 000 1 500mm lake taihu gets fair amount of rain but not enough to meet the growing demands of industries located on the lake chemical metal printing dying industries and the rapidly growing population.

Another solution to the water scarcity crisis is to improve our attempts to recharge our groundwater. On average africa is in a state defined as water stress with the average person obtaining around only 1 500 cubic meters of water per year. South africa s dams rivers wastewater systems and water distribution systems are in a dire state but the solutions to these challenges are readily available within the country. This holistic water resource approach referred to as the dublin rio principle unced rio de janeiro 1992 highlights that freshwater is finite vulnerable and essential to.

Current efforts underway to address water scarcity issues in africa. Pressure on water resources is increasing in several parts of the world especially in china india pakistan in the middle east and many countries and regions of africa. Integrated water resource management through reuse and aquifer recharge promotes long term sustainable solutions to water supply and wastewater issues in urban california and south african townships. Artificial groundwater recharging has been in existence for decades and has proven to be one of the most successful methods of solving water scarcity in many areas.

Water pollution and water scarcity are the two main environmental concerns of the region. The process of recharge can either be a human induced process or a natural process as part of the hydrological cycle. Issues and challenges by the year 2030 an estimated 75 million to 250 million people in africa will be living in areas of high water stress. The government and media quite rightly give high priority to the consequences of the devastating drought we are facing in south africa and further afield.