Groundwater is used extensively in arid regions like South Africa’s Karoo. Shutterstock Gaathier Mahed, Nelson Mandela University Many South African cities use ground water and aquifers as their main source of water. And with water scarcity an increasing threat, these sources are becoming more and more important. The Conversation Africa’s Nontobeko Mtshali spoke to Gaathier
Reliable water supply is essential for South Africa’s development. Shutterstock Kevin Winter, University of Cape Town South Africa is often referred to as the 30th driest country in the world, a claim that’s based on its average annual rainfall of 500mm compared to the world average of 860mm. National rainfall averages have a purpose. They
The Akaki river runs through central Addis Ababa. Magnus Franklin/Flickr Kefa M. Otiso, Bowling Green State University In Nairobi, Kenya, the government is destroying buildings constructed on riparian land in a bid to mitigate the impact of floods. This is just one example of a growing African city that hasn’t adequately protected its rivers. Kefa
Southern Africa has rivers, like the Zambezi, that run through a number of countries. How best to manage this is the challenge. Goran Tomasevic/Reuters Mike Muller, University of the Witwatersrand Southern African countries must recognise that joint management of their shared rivers will not drive regional economic integration. This will be difficult, since this approach
Surface water from the Vaal River is highly polluted with fragments of microplastics. Flickr/Paul Saad Henk Bouwman, North-West University The dangers of plastics, and more specifically microplastics, is increasingly grabbing the world’s attention. A growing body of research shows that plastics and microplastics in the marine environment are having a devastating effect on life in
A major cause of flooding in Nairobi is inappropriate building on riparian land. Flickr/Ubadheer Sean Avery, University of Leicester Drastic action is being taken in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, with 4000 buildings set to be demolished. The reason: they were constructed on riparian land – land adjacent to the watercourses that traverse the city. In an
Shutterstock Michael Samways, Stellenbosch University and John P. Simaika, Stellenbosch University Viewed from space, our planet is a blue speck of mostly water in a seemingly endless expanse of darkness. It is this water that is vital for life as we know it. This wonderful life is amazingly complex, yet very fragile. Away from the
A residential rain garden in Portland’s Tabor to the River project. City of Portland Government Kevin Winter, University of Cape Town and Peta Brom, University of Cape Town Models of the earth’s changing climate suggest that extreme weather events, including droughts, will become more frequent. As city populations grow, it will be harder for governments
Water quality is compromised by cultivation, pesticides, household waste and clothes washing. Martchan/Shutterstock Jeremias Mowo, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) For rural communities in the highlands of eastern Africa, water for domestic use is not piped. They have to collect, or use it from springs or rivers and it’s accessible to anyone. Increasingly, highland communities in
Southern African nations need to up their groundwater management game A woman draws water from a hand pumped well in northern Ghana.Axel Fassio/CIFOR/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND Gaathier Mahed, Nelson Mandela University When you think of a country’s water resources, you may not realise that there are many kinds. Some is surface water, such as dams and
