South Africa will face a water shortage in the future, the South African Government Association has (Salga) said.

According to Salga councilor Pinky Moloi, Salga is aware that there will be a water shortage at some point in the future. However, new dams will be built to deal with this challenge.

Water crises was listed as the third highest global risk of concern in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks 2014 report. According to the report, this illustrates a continued and growing awareness of the global water crisis as a result of mismanagement and increased competition for already scarce water resources.

Speaking about Salga’s annual report on water service delivery at municipalities at part of the Municipal Benchmarking Initiative, Moloi highlighted the importance of educating people on water. She pointed out that it was inconceivable that, with all the technological advances in the world, contaminated water still caused deaths, SAPA reported.

According to the World Economic Forum’s report, the management of water is becoming increasingly complex and difficult as populations expand and demand for freshwater to supply cities and factories increases. Any failings in planning, management and use in one country can ripple across the world.

Moloi reiterated that water security remains one of the most tangible social, political, and economic challenges faced by communities across the globe today.