The recent downpours in parts of the country have not changed SA’s fortunes in terms of water supply in the long term.

South Africa is in the middle of a potential wet season as heavy rainfalls continue to fall over large parts of the country, making a significant improvement in the country’s water situation.

Without altering current levels of water consumption and pollution, almost half of the world's population will suffer severe water stress by 2030, damaging the well-being of millions of people, according to a new report from the International Resource Panel (IRP).

The World Meteorological Organisation’s State of the Climate in Africa 2019 report has just confirmed some dreadful news for South Africa – drought and extreme heat conditions are set to persist until at least 2024.

Globally, there is an imbalance between water availability and water demand. The main cause of this mismatch is agricultural irrigation, which accounts for about 70% of freshwater withdrawal.

To provide irrigation facilities to areas that are not even able to cultivate one crop annually, India’s Karnataka state has developed the world’s biggest automated single drip irrigation project in the Bagalkot district.