New paper outlines transferable lessons from Cape Town drought

A new study by the University of Cape Town’s African Centre for Cities has unpacked lessons that other South African municipalities can learn from to adapt to climate change and deal with ongoing drought and water insecurity.

The paper, “Unpacking the Cape Town Drought: Lessons Learnt”, outlines the complexity of urban governance, with an illustration of how what appears to be just an environmental concern can actually impact on all aspects of city life, including economic opportunities, politics and social dynamics.

Engineering News, 27 March 2019

Water levels remain stable

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly dam level report, released on Thursday, shows stability in the national water reservoirs.

The average water levels increased marginally from 65.9% last week to the current 66.2%; however, the water levels had declined from the levels of 69.3% reported in the same period last year.

Engineering News, 28 March 2019

South Africa needs specific laws to protect strategic water source areas

South Africa requires additional, specific laws to protect strategic water source areas or risk leaving the vast majority of the country’s water source areas highly vulnerable to inappropriate development, says University of Cape Town Institute of Marine and Environmental Law lecturer Amanda Mkhonza.

A significant volume of South Africa’s surface water originates from just 22 catchment areas that receive the highest rainfall and are deemed the “heart” of water supply “from which our rivers flow as blood vessels, carrying our lifeblood – our water resources – to sustain our entire country”.

Engineering News, 29 March 2019

The above reflects a summary of certain news articles published during the preceding week.

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