DROUGHT
Desalination an option, but we need a clear strategy for water supply
The steps required include assessment of management and upgrading of resources and infrastructure
Is desalination SA’s defence against climate change or a quick fix? In the next 30 years, the country, and particularly the western part, will become hotter and drier and will experience more extreme weather, droughts and floods. Given that the Western Cape is already experiencing the devastating effect of protracted drought-imposed water restrictions, it is becoming increasingly evident that without a clear, definitive strategy to deal with water resources adequately and urgently, SA and its people are in trouble. When the water crisis in Cape Town was first debated in late 2015, the city indicated that it was considering various water supply options, including desalination, the process of turning salty ocean water into drinking water. With a lengthy coastline, one would think that desalination is a natural solution, but it is energy intensive and expensive to maintain. The city put these plans on hold at the time to search for better water supply alternatives. Since then, availabl...
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