World Water Congress 2015 Edinburgh Scotland
Special session 9: Water Framework Directive
Author(s): H Jordaan
H Jordaan
T: +27(0)51 401 9111
info@ufs.ac.za
www.ufs.ac.za
Oral: PDFAbstract
INTRODUCTION
-
South Africa is ranked 30th driest country in the world (DAFF, 2013).
-
Rapid growth and increased variability in rainfall caused (DAFF, 2013):
-
Tighter supply;
-
Demand often exceeds supply in different basins in SA.
-
Agricultural sector is a major user of scarce freshwater resource in South Africa.
-
Irr agric uses about 40% of exploitable runoff (Backeberg and Reinders, 2009).
-
Direct contribution to Gross Domestic Product of SA is small (<3%) (DAFF, 2014).
-
Currently the agricultural sector may be an inefficient user of freshwater (Nieuwoudt, Backeberg & du Plessis 2004:162)