The National Water Resource Balances Perspectives for South Africa

The Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) identified an urgent need to generate information on national water resource balances for planning and managing water resources, and for informed engagement on international water management. Since the last national strategic perspective was developed almost 25 years ago, the DWS wants this study to incorporate new concepts, new knowledge, updated information and data sources and other innovations.

The DWS is the custodian of the water resources of South Africa planning and undertakes water resources planning as one of its core functions. The water resources planning function is carried out by the Directorate of National Water Resource Planning (NWRP), which develops strategies and procedures for the reconciliation of water availability and requirements to meet the national social and economic development objectives, including strategic requirements, resource quality objectives and international obligations. The Climate Change analyses is overseen by the Directorate Climate Change.

The main objective of this study is to develop overarching water balance information for the water resources of South Africa, disaggregated at the water management level, and aligned to various water supply reconciliation strategies of the large and small water supply systems. Other objectives include the collation, development and updating of information on possible alternative sources of water, including and not limited to desalination, water re-use and virtual water at national level, as well as the assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on the water balances of the country.

Area covered by the study

The study covers the whole country and parts of neighboring countries with transboundary river basins shared with South Africa.

The DWS wants the water balance perspectives to be informed by verifiable information from past studies and ongoing studies that will be taking place during the course of this study. Ideally national water balance perspectives should inform national, sector, services and master plans as well as international water management. These plans have evolved over the last 25 years and the latest versions will be considered. The information is to be captured in a well- structured database that allows for quick manipulation, generation of reports, display in a geographical information system (GIS) and for sharing over the internet. Templates will be developed to facilitate the provision of information from on-going and future studies. Where gaps exist, water availability assessments will be conducted. For efficient handling of information the decision support system (DSS), and database information system, should be informed by the water balance concepts. The national perspectives will be delivered in a suitable form for planning and operating of water resource systems, and for planning at catchment, political and administrative levels. The study will be conducting training and capacity building activities. The results from study will be communicated using various media and shared with and stakeholders through workshops. The water balance perspectives will be at a strategic level and should be able to inform, political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental decisions.

Planning for the future

National water balance perspectives will inform national, sector, services and master plans as well as international water management.