As a water-scarce country, South Africa is facing many complex water problems and studies have shown that the country will not have enough water supplies to meet demand by 2025.
As a water-scarce country, South Africa is facing many complex water problems and studies have shown that the country will not have enough water supplies to meet demand by 2025. Challenges affecting our water include the amount available, the unequal distribution and access to clean water, the quality and state of water infrastructure, droughts causing towns to run dry and corruption that has affected municipal treatment plants, resulting in sewage flows into streets, rivers and groundwater. Vast areas in the rural parts of North West, Limpopo and Free State provinces and urban areas like Hammanskraal, Makhanda, Grabouw and Kimberley have perennial water issues that have left residents on an unending scramble for reliable and clean water. Despite these longstanding problems on access to clean drinking water, Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, speaking on Tuesday at this year's commemoration of Water Week, was adamant that the country has no water crisis but a lack of efficient management and skills to effectively run the available water resources.
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