Unconventional Water Supply Options in South Africa

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Abstract
South Africa faces escalating freshwater problems and will experience prolonged water deficits within the next 25 to30 years if current patterns of water use continue unchanged. The level of conventional water resources utilization in the country is very high and new approaches are necessary to stretch the limited water supplies available to meet projected demands for water. Significant research into new technologies and sources of supply has been carried out in South Africa and abroad during the past few decades. This has resulted in the development and evaluation of a number of innovative concepts and methodologies, as well as novel adaptations to existing approaches. These concepts and methodologies include: integration of surface water transfers into a national water grid, transfers of untapped surface water resources from countries located to the north of South Africa, exploitation of deep groundwater and the use of aquifers for storage of surplus water, atmospheric water (fog and cloud) harvesting, iceberg water utilization, desalination and direct use of sea water. Some of these options are still theoretical and unproven, while others have reached different stages of practical testing and implementation. Information on these alternatives for water supply is widely scattered over many different sources. This paper reviews the available information and examines some of these unconventional sources and options for future water supply in terms of their technical aspects, potential applications, likely impacts, approximate costs, and regional relevance in terms of alleviating predicted water shortages.

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