Scenarios for future freshwater supplies in South Africa

South Africa is still recovering from the effects of the 2016 drought. Most of us now have a heightened awareness of the impacts of droughts, floods and toxic algal blooms in our dams, which are predicted to get worse with climate change. Was this drought the wake-up call we needed to get us ready for a new normal?
WWF South Africa recently teamed up with international leaders in scenario planning, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), to explore possible water futures.
The WWF-SA and BCG workshop, involving industry, government representatives and water sector leaders, explored two key uncertainties in South Africa’s water future: (1) the availability of water and (2) state of governance of the sector. This resulted in a report titled “Scenarios for the Future of Water in South Africa” looking ahead to the potential realities of 2030.
The scenarios in this report enable organisations to consider what part they can play to help South Africa overcome the current crisis, as well as prepare for and even shape the future of freshwater supplies in South Africa.
Christine Colvin, senior manager of fresh water at WWF, commented: “We encourage you to immerse yourself in each potential reality before beginning to ponder how you might prepare, and most critically, how you can tie your own potential action items to the specific suggestions outlined in ‘What does this mean going forward?’ The discussions on our future also revealed ‘no-regret’ options that would help all organisations prepare for an uncertain water future. Implementing these options now will help prepare for all eventualities.” To view the report, click HERE.