Alternative water resources

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Alternative water resources

• Presentation to Portfolio Committee
• 14 September 2005

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Alternative water resources

• Alternative to what? Surface and groundwater
  most used currently
• Let us consider all options
• Most options technically feasible but the costs
  of some is prohibitive
• Water is not the issue, affordability is
• Some options will work better along the coast

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Improbable for near future

• Towing of icebergs
• Huge logistical challenge
• Feasibility not proven
• More expensive than to ship fresh water from
  Zambezi/Congo
• Let others try it first

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Improbable (continued)

• Shipping water from Zambezi/Congo
• Possible
• Large tanker operation
• Reconnaissance costing showed it to be more
  expensive than desalination

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Improbable (continued)

• Canal transfer from the Zambezi
• Large transfer has been studied
• 8 basin states, RSA is not
• All 8 have ambitions to use the water to develop
  their own countries
• Use own resources more efficiently before
  thinking about neighbours resources

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In the middle there is

• Rainfall stimulation through cloud seeding
• Research has proven that it can be done
• Implementation will be costly
• Potential legal issues may make it difficult
• Huge potential and should be taken further
• Government will have to take the lead in

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More likely options

• Improved water use efficiency (WCDM)
• Removal of Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs)
• Use of treated effluent
• Desalination
• Groundwater
• Surface water including Inter Basin Transfers
  (IBT)

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Water use efficiency (WCDM)

• Recent presentation to Portfolio Committee
• Too much water being used inefficiently
• Savings could in many cases delay augmentation
  with years
• Municipalities will have to be supported to
  achieve practical implementation

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Removal of Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs)

• Removal of IAPs makes more water available
• Consider quantities and costs in all cases where
  water is required
• Implement if this is best option

10
Use of treated effluent

• Treated effluent being re-used indirectly and
  directly in inland areas for many years and on
  large scale in some cases
• Biggest future potential at coastal cities

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Indirectly

• Municipalities treat effluent in sewage works and
  discharge to river
• Users down stream use it for irrigation and
  domestic
• Large scale in Vaal River system
• Rand Water re-uses effluent from southern Gauteng
• Pretoria from Kempton Park through Rietvlei Dam

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Directly

• In SA often for industrial use
• Municipalities treat effluent in sewage works and
  supply directly to next user
• Kelvin power station in Johannesburg
• Mines near Mokopane from Mokopane and Polokwane
• Mines near Rustenburg from Rustenburg
• Durban to industries

13
Coastal areas

• Effluent mostly discharged to the ocean (treated
  or untreated)
• Huge potential resource
• Cape Town is discharging nearly 160 mill m3/a
• If all of this could be re-used it would sustain
  Cape Town for 13 years
• If fully recycled, some desalination will be
  required
• This is currently being investigated

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Desalination

• Already being done on small scale
• Albany Coast Water Board Bushmans
  River/Kenton-on-Sea
• West Coast desalination of brackish ground
  water
• Huge potential for coastal towns and cities
• At present much more expensive than we got used
  to for surface resources
• Desalination takes place on huge scale overseas
• Very energy intensive cost and impacts of
  energy generation will increase
• Becoming most economical option in specific cases
• Is being and will be investigated for large towns
  and cities

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Ground water

• Very important resource
• Often the only resource for small towns and
  communities
• Must be properly developed and managed
• Artificial recharge must get proper attention
• Conjunctive use where possible will give more in
  total

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Way forward

• Aim ensure best solution is implemented
• Proper investigation of all options
• Integrated planning essential
• Example of strategic planning for W-Cape

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Reconciliation strategy for Western Cape system

• Cape Town area currently under restrictions
• Berg River dam will only supply up to 2010
• Urgent action required to prevent problems after
  that
• DWAF strategy study with CCT active participant
• Western Cape Province also involved
• Public participation programme

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Options

• Increase of water use efficiency (WC/DM)
• Removal of IAPs
• Effluent re-use
• Desalination
• Groundwater e.g. Cape Flats, West Coast, TMG
• Artificial recharge
• Conjunctive use
• Surface water development (various small and
  bigger schemes) including IBTs
• Answer will be a combination of the above, strung
  together in a plan that will be affordable and
  flexible

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Summary

• Basic research not required before implementing
  feasible options
• Investigate all options properly
• Align strategies (CMS, PGDS, IDP)
• Western Cape Reconciliation Strategy as example