Strategies for water efficiency and continuity in South Africa
Loadshedding in South Africa has become the norm and will continue for at least two more years but another problem has arisen due to these prolonged blackouts and that is an interruption in water supply.
When the stages of loadshedding are higher (stage 6 and 8) and there is no electricity for four hours or more the critical pipelines and water pump systems are interrupted. The reservoirs rely on a continuous flow of pumped water and when there is a prolonged period of no electricity at one time, as in 4 hours or more, the continuous flow is interrupted and the reservoirs are not able to fill up quickly enough.
The worst affected areas are the high lying areas as their water needs to be pumped up hill.
Gauteng is a case in point due to the high elevation difference between the Vaal dam ...