Post by cjm on Jul 19, 2020 15:43:02 GMT
Southern Africa: Tapping the Hidden Potential of Southern Africa's Groundwater
Drilling for oil is wrong. Drilling for water OK
If this becomes widespread, I predict that within a generation it will also be over exploited.
Southern Africa's groundwater is not entirely neglected. Within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), it represents 20% of water currently consumed by the agricultural sector. It is also widely used by households.
However, despite 70% of the SADC population - some 280 million people - relying on groundwater as their primary source of water, the resource is often of poor quality, not always safe and mostly inaccessible.
And current extraction rates - around 2,500 cubic metres per capita per year - represent only 1.5% of the renewable groundwater resources available. This means that groundwater remains largely untapped at a time when the gap between water demand and availability is growing.
However, despite 70% of the SADC population - some 280 million people - relying on groundwater as their primary source of water, the resource is often of poor quality, not always safe and mostly inaccessible.
And current extraction rates - around 2,500 cubic metres per capita per year - represent only 1.5% of the renewable groundwater resources available. This means that groundwater remains largely untapped at a time when the gap between water demand and availability is growing.
Drilling for oil is wrong. Drilling for water OK
If this becomes widespread, I predict that within a generation it will also be over exploited.