The first detailed report on the state of wastewater treatment in South Africa in nine years was released recently. It paints a dismal picture.

Most parts of South Africa, specifically its summer rainfall areas, have received above average rainfall since October 2021. This has led to an increase in the country’s national average water levels.

Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere.

Today, most countries are placing unprecedented pressure on water resources.

Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said last Thursday that the weekly report of dam levels in the Eastern Cape showed a minimal increase from the previous week’s 61.1% to 62.4% last week.

All-natural water found in the earth’s subsurface is called groundwater. When we look hard enough, we can find groundwater almost everywhere. But that does not mean that we can start pumping groundwater at any location. In many places, the amount of groundwater available (yield) is so little, or the water is so deep, that it is not financially viable to pump it. Another problem might be the quality of the water.