Unconventional Water Supply Options in South Africa: A Review of Possible Solutions

Abstract South Africa faces escalating freshwater problems and will experience prolonged water deficits within the next 25 to30 years if current patterns of water use continue unchanged. The level of conventional water resources utilization in the country is very high and new approaches are necessary to stretch the limited water supplies available to meet projected demands for water. Significant research into new technologies and sources of supply has been carried out in South Africa and abroad during the past few decades. This has resulted in the development and evaluation of a number of innovative concepts and methodologies, as well as novel adaptations to existing approaches. These concepts and methodologies include: integration of surface water transfers into a national water grid, transfers of untapped surface water resources from countries located to the north of South Africa, exploitation of deep groundwater and the use of aquifers for storage of surplus water, atmospheric water (fog and cloud) har...