Afrigather The principle water provide to South Africa’s financial hub, larger Johannesburg within the Gauteng province, and to the nation’s breadbasket within the Free State, is scheduled to be lower off for six months. Upkeep work on the 37 kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Mission tunnel is due to begin in October 2024. Ifedotun Victor Aina, a senior researcher on the Water and Manufacturing Economics Analysis Unit on the College of Cape City, takes a important take a look at who could possibly be affected by the shutdown and what may occur.
What’s the Lesotho Highlands Water Project? Why is it so necessary?
It’s a large-scale water provide scheme wherein water is diverted from the highlands of Lesotho to South Africa’s Free State and the larger Johannesburg space. The mission is designed to switch over 1.27 billion cubic metres of water yearly from Lesotho to South Africa, offering a significant water provide to the Gauteng area’s cities and industries. To visualise this quantity, think about about 508,000 Olympic-sized swimming swimming pools crammed to the brim yearly.
Launched in January 1998, it was developed in partnership with the governments of Lesotho and South Africa. It concerned the development of a collection of dams, reservoirs and tunnels all through Lesotho. These all ship water to the Vaal River system in South Africa.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Mission is a lifeline to tens of millions of South Africans. For instance, it:
- satisfies 60% of Gauteng’s water demand
- provides the irrigation water for industrial farms
- provides water to areas with irregular rainfall patterns and frequent drought
- performs a task in public well being by delivering clear water to tens of millions of individuals
- contributes to environmental conservation.
The inflow of contemporary water helps cut back the acidity of the Vaal River reservoir, which has lengthy been polluted by industrial exercise, sewage and gold mines.
The mission can also be a vital water supply for the nation’s industrial heartland. Any slowdown to water-intensive industries would have financial repercussions.
What’s behind the deliberate tunnel shutdown?
The tunnels want essential and critical maintenance and repairs. This is because of happen between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025.
The work will probably be conducted in phases. Within the first month, the tunnels will probably be emptied in preparation for 4 months of upkeep and repairs. The final month will probably be taken up by inspections and refilling the tunnels with water.
This upkeep is important for making certain the integrity of the tunnel methods. It’s going to permit technicians and engineers to test the tunnel totally, fixing any issues they discover, and making detailed studies. They can not do that when it is filled with water. They may restore the metal partitions that have been discovered to be in urgent need of attention over the past upkeep shutdown in 2019.
The momentary shutdown will probably be managed by the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, a joint governance physique between South Africa and Lesotho.
What’s going to the impression be?
The impression on residential and agricultural customers could possibly be important.
Firstly, it might exacerbate current water scarcity that is affecting tens of millions of individuals in Gauteng. The mix of restricted water assets, inhabitants progress, local weather variability and inefficient water administration has led to a state of affairs the place water shortage is a power and widespread downside.
Learn extra: Johannesburg has been hit by severe water shortages: new plan to manage the crisis isn’t the answer
Residential areas that depend on the tunnels for his or her water might expertise water restrictions. These embrace Mafube, Nketoana and Dihlabeng in the Free State and Gauteng provinces. There may additionally be lowered water strain, and the intervals throughout which water is accessible could also be shortened.
Secondly, relying on the severity of the water scarcity, individuals might must depend on alternative water sources reminiscent of underground water and bottled water, which cost more.
Thirdly, individuals’s water consumption habits are prone to change. Water could also be restricted and residents might must plan their consumption accordingly.
Fourth, extreme water restrictions might result in individuals in search of out water from various sources, like streams or boreholes, which might trigger well being issues.
Lastly, agriculture relies upon closely on constant and dependable water sources for irrigation, livestock watering and different farming actions. The shutdown might lead to lowered agricultural productiveness, crop failure, and monetary losses for farmers who depend on the Lesotho Highlands Water Mission. This might have an effect on meals safety, livelihoods, and the general financial system of affected areas.
The tunnel closure may additionally result in a collection of sudden points reminiscent of disruptions to hospitals, sanitation methods, and different important companies that rely closely on a constant water provide. If enterprise experiences an intermittent water provide, this might have a ripple impact with manufacturing slowdowns in a single sector resulting in shortages and value hikes in others.
If individuals begin extracting groundwater, this might put extra pressure on already careworn ecosystems. Elements like sudden low rainfall or technical issues with backup methods might make the state of affairs worse.
Join free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the newest in African information delivered straight to your inbox
Can something be executed to melt the impression?
Proactive planning and mitigation measures might assist. Public consciousness campaigns concerning the need to save water needs to be carried out properly prematurely of the shutdown. Creating consciousness that there will probably be much less water might considerably cut back water demand in the course of the closure. The federal government might additionally provide monetary incentives for individuals to undertake water-efficient home equipment and irrigation practices.
Learn extra: Water crisis in South Africa: damning report finds 46% contamination, 67% of treatment works near to breaking down
The Division of Water and Sanitation should work with the affected municipalities on vast ranging plans to keep up a continuous water provide for the six months. This should embrace again up plans that may instantly come into play in extreme situations. The federal government has stated that plans are being made, however no concrete data has been launched.
General, the impression of the tunnel closure will probably be decided by three key components:
- authorities’s technique to alleviate the water scarcity
- people’ efforts to avoid wasting water
- the supply of other water sources.
Efficient planning, accountable water use and revolutionary options will probably be wanted.
Ifedotun Aina, Senior Researcher and Postdoctoral Analysis Fellow within the Water and Manufacturing Economics Analysis Unit, College of Cape City
