In 2018, Cape Town, South Africa's second most populous city, came very close to running out of water as the multi-year "Day Zero" drought depleted its reservoirs.

Let me put it like this,” says Corrie Snyman, plant manager for 30 years at Rooiwal wastewater treatment works. “A contractor was given a job, he brought in a sub-contractor.

With the world population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 and with sub-Saharan Africa’s population expected to grow the fastest, overcoming the challenges facing 21st century agriculture is not an easy feat.

In the one hand, they are deliciously creamy, versatile and gloriously Instagrammable.

About 30% of the water on the planet is under the ground, out of sight and not easily accessed. Little is known about this “invisible” groundwater.

Scientists and policymakers are puzzling over how to get rid of a group of toxic chemicals found in streams and drinking water.

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.

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

Humans have been harnessing the energy of river currents for centuries, using water wheels spun by rivers initially to process grains and cloth.

While the future is difficult to predict, available freshwater resources will certainly decrease in the coming years due to the increasing demand of a growing world population.

Fresh water cycles from ocean to air to clouds to rivers and back to the oceans. This constant shuttling can give us the illusion of certainty. Fresh water will always come from the tap. Won’t it?

Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere.

An up-and-coming conservation practice offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers and ranchers manage water on their land, keep water clean and better cope with extreme weather like drought.

According to Peter Setou, chief executive of Vumelana Advisory Fund, there needs to be greater awareness among beneficiaries of the land reform programme of the laws and policies governing access to water.

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.

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

It has been brewing for decades, but like the long-neglected electricity system, the long-neglected water supply, treatment and reticulation systems are now collapsing. Best be prepared.

Will water scarcity be more common in the future? 

You probably already know you should drink more while doing strenuous exercise or when the weather is hot to avoid dehydration.