Gauteng could face water crisis in next few years: Experts

Water experts are sounding the alarm of a looming water crisis in Gauteng within the next few years.

They say there is a strong possibility of a day zero in the province, if nothing is done to resolve the structural and governance issues plaguing the water sector.

This comes after Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu’s acknowledgement of his department’s failure to provide Gauteng’s daily 4 500 mega-litres of water needs.

In October last year, Johannesburg residents were urged to use water sparingly while Joburg Water attended to the water shortage affecting parts of Gauteng.

Johannesburg residents urged to use water sparingly:

Wits University, Law and Environment Professor, Tracy-Lynn Field says, “I think it’s fair to say that there is consensus that there has been a failure of government both at municipal level and national level. The Minister of Water and Sanitation has weighed in but it’s far too late, this should have taken place much earlier. The kind of situation we face in South Africa, such as the drought in Gauteng in years to come there need to be indicators of when the government steps in to alleviate the situation,” says Field.

High demand, load shedding and power outages have been cited as reasons for the shortages: