Fresh Water Scarcity In South Africa Essay

I strongly disagree with the above statement. Freshwater is arguably the most fundamental and scarce resource necessary for both human and non-human life. The majority of Southern Africa 's rain falls along the eastern, southern and adjacent areas. Freshwater is therefore critically scare, with the exception of Angola and perhaps Zambia, and thus has the potential to impact population health, limit economic growth and in-turn have a detrimental effect on political stability.

Quality of freshwater resources within Southern Africa and the causes of freshwater pollution

There are essentially two factors which influence the quality of water. The first factor is the inherit natural conditions, such as the water source and types of soil and rocks

However, the primary means by which humans influence water quality is through

Most global models predict an increase in aridity, which will affect all livelihoods. The projection looks particularly pessimistic for South Africa and Malawi, whilst water stress is expected to occur by 2025 in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Tanzania.

Climate change is a major role player in these predictions – freshwater resources will be primarily impacted by an increasing variability in annual rainfall and rising sea levels. Surface water and groundwater, such as rivers and lakes, will decrease. This will be coupled with increased evaporation from the ground, increasing the salinity of soil which will in-turn hamper plant growth. Floods will become more sever and although it may seemingly relieve the extent of water shortages, they will be devastating to infrastructure and cause wide-spread disease, as average water temperatures increase in response to a warming