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Keywords: water demand; water utilities; urban
A better understanding of the household choice of water source for use in arid and semi-arid countries is necessary to manage and expand water systems more effectively. This is because the inefficiency in the piped water supply of many countries, coupled with the impact of climate change-induced droughts, has informed the decision of water users to invest in alternative water sources such as boreholes or well points.
Additionally, challenges associated with operating and maintaining large, expensive infrastructure systems that need to meet demand have placed cost recovery at the forefront for water utilities. Consequently, many households find it beneficial to secure water consumption by investing in less regulated groundwater sources such as boreholes or well points. Over time, this puts the groundwater resource at risk of exploitation, quality deterioration, and land subsidence from excessive extraction.
This WPE project explores ways to combine the optimal use of surface and groundwater resources to mitigate climate-induced water scarcity in South Africa. Groundwater use across all the country's nine provinces is scrutinised to offer solutions that may prevent their over-exploitation.