With the ongoing drought placing increasing stress on South Africa’s water resources, South Africa has agreed to partner with Iran to develop desalination plants to boost water supplies.

This announcement comes after South Africa last year recorded its lowest annual rainfall levels since comprehensive records began in 1904.

“In April 2016 we signed the agreement of cooperation on water resources and management with Iran. This agreement will enhance our cooperation on desalination technologies, capacitating of our engineers in dam safety and operations and maintenance,” Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane said during her budget vote speech.

According to Reuters, desalination plants will be built along all coastal communities but there were no indicative costs at this stage.

Mokonyane told reporters that South Africa has become too dependent on surface water. “Now with the partnership that we have entered into through the binational commission between South Africa and Iran we want to go full steam,” she said.

Currently the largest desalination plant in South Africa is situated in Mossel Bay along the Western Cape where it helps supply water to state oil company PetroSA’s gas-to-fuel refinery. Meanwhile the Lamberts Bay desalination plant has been given a R15 million boost.

 

Lamberts Bay desalination plant

The completion of the Lamberts Bay desalination plant is set to contribute significantly to socio-economic development of Lamberts Bay area along the West Coast.

The plant was initiated due to the inadequate supply of potable water in this Cederberg Municipality town. Several studies were conducted in 2008 and it was approved that potable water be augmented by an additional borehole and a seawater desalination plant for Leipoldville and Lamberts Bay in the Cederberg municipality.

Construction on the desalination plant is 85% complete and the additional funds will be used for all outstanding work at the plant, zero mode operation and maintenance.