Persisting drought in large regions of South Africa makes for National Introspection from Water Management Agencies, and a shift in focus to the Prevention Of Evaporation
The primary role of Catchment Management Agencies (CMA’s) is to manage the water resources in river catchments. The management of such catchments is an overarching function, and includes (amongst others),
licensing of water use, water quality, how much water is allocated, where does it come from, rules and regulations, what happens in the rivers, wetlands and streams.
Factors such as storm water drainage, sewage works, effluent, agricultural use, industry, human consumption, groundwater etc. are also part of what is managed by CMA’s.
Catchment Management Associations in South Africa should, increasingly, also focus on water evaporation prevention (WEP) in the management of stored waters in water management areas.
Where does evaporation prevention fit into managing stored waters in catchments?
With an estimated annual average loss of 20% of all stored waters in South Africa to evaporation, water evaporation must be recognized as a primary threat to water security.
Because of the detrimental effect of evaporation on available (stored) water resources, the development of water evaporation prevention (WEP) systems, should become an integral part of CMA strategies.
Says Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative,” taking into account that there is continuous increased pressure on existing water supplies, it is worrying that vast amounts of stored waters are consumed and lost through evaporation with little options available to water management agencies.
The development of Hexagon WEP, a locally designed and manufactured water evaporation prevention system for open waters, may in the near future present water users with an option to protect their stored waters.
Hexagon WEP is designed and produced in the Southern Cape
For further information contact: info@scli.org.za – Cobus Meiring – 083 626 7619