Water Resource Management Essay

Water resource management involves the planning of water use such that it is sustainable in terms of the hydrological cycle and water availability in the region (Berjak, 2013). Historically and to date, regional water service providers and municipalities have been undertaking their long-term planning in isolation (Ramnath, 2007). The only time there is an exchange of information is when water demands need to be met in the short-term and to date, this focus has been around backlog alleviation (Ramnath, 2007). Sustainable water use occurs where “the rate of resource withdrawal, consumption, or depletion is always equal to or exceeded by the rate of resource replenishment, while maintaining certain selected and agreed characteristics of the resources” (Berjak, 2013: 190). Water is the essence of life and a renewable resource that changes form within the hydrological cycle. There are many factors that affect the water cycle, and therefore the approach to water resource management.

It is evident that water resource management is complex and requires the

It must be noted that KwaDukuza has experienced phenomenal growth over the past few years which has increased the demand for supply imposed on the existing water sources, electricity and road networks considerably (Manzini & Cirha, 2012). KwaDukuza experiences water disruptions on a regular basis. There is a huge disparity in provision of services. There is also a major service backlog and a lack of maintenance of existing infrastructure (Manzini & Cirha, 2012). There is severe water shortage in the area which is exacerbated by new development applications. Umngeni water, KwaDukuza and iLembe cannot meet the current water requirements of existing users. The fast pace of development in KwaDukuza also places unprecedented pressure on the