How to keep the Western Cape’s water flowing with data analytics
Analytical monitoring of water loss and usage shows anomalies in real time, and can help incentivise consumers to use less water, writes Kroshlen Moodley
On May 22, the Western Cape was declared a disaster area as the ongoing drought led dam levels to drop below 10%. This prompted the local government to implement level four water restrictions amid warnings that the drought could continue well into 2018. Here’s what we know about the water crisis in the Western Cape: • The province contributes 24% to SA’s GDP. Agriculture makes up 4% of that figure and provides 18% of employment opportunities in the province. No rain means farmers will not employ as many seasonal workers, which will affect employment and economic growth. • The Western Cape is SA’s most important export province in terms of agricultural products (fruit, wine, wheat). The drought, therefore, affects food security as well as local and international trade. • Reasons for the drought include serious water losses, aging infrastructure, mismanagement, irregular expenditure and a lack of policies for water maintenance. Building new reservoirs and finding additional water sour...
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