“Intermittent water supply sucks.” This was the tongue-in-cheek message from Dr Ronnie McKenzie, Chair of the International Water Association (IWA) Specialist Group on Water Loss, at the 6th Regional African Water Leakage Summit. The summit, which is currently underway in Johannesburg, brings together water experts to discuss the region’s water situation. Intermittent water supply – the practice of cutting off water supply to an area at certain times of the day – has been implemented in several countries across the world and has recently been introduced in South Africa in response to the ongoing drought. Opening the summit, Tim Waldron, former chairperson of the IWA, stated that intermittent supply “invariably has disastrous outcomes. It has proved a disaster everywhere they’ve done it.” Taking a relatively steady hydraulic situation and changing it to one that fluctuates every day results in a more fragile system, explained Waldron. While intermittent supply is usually implemented to save water, it invariable creates more leaks and opens up the opportunity for water to become contaminated.
Additional Reading?
Request Free CopyRelated Articles
3SMedia | Oct 24, 2023
South Africa’s Deteriorating Infrastructure: Turton Identifies Institutional Failure as the Root Issue
According to water scientist and authority on the subject, Anthony Turton, climate change is poised to exert a significant detrimental impact on the maintenance of South Africa’s water infrastructure. In order to avert a potential...
Feb 21, 2024
Cape Town Approves Innovative Fund to Drive Affordable Housing: Micro-Developers Set to Benefit
Cape Town has given the green light to a new initiative aimed at facilitating the construction of rental units in lower-income communities. The City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee (Mayco) has approved the establishment of a Development Charges...
Nov 1, 2023
Organised Crime Threatens South Africa’s Construction Sector
South Africa’s construction industry is facing a mounting crisis as organised crime wreaks havoc on construction sites across the country. Armed groups, commonly referred to as ‘construction mafias,’ are routinely targeting these...