Water Availability

• Approximately 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water, of which 97% is salt water and the remaining 3% is freshwater
• Of the 3% freshwater, less than 1% is available for life on earth; the rest occurs at the poles in the form of ice
• The amount of water on earth remains the same, but it is not evenly distributed over the planet
• South Africa is classified as a water scarce country, since its average rainfall of 492mm per year is only half of the average rainfall of earth
• The rainfall is unevenly distributed in South Africa, with the eastern parts of the country receiving more than the drier western parts
• High evaporation rates, a result of warm climate, also contribute to dry conditions
• Water is a renewable resource, but freshwater is not always readily available
• Many freshwater resources are increasingly polluted by humans
• The current demand for water is great and as human population with its corresponding needs grows, the demand for water continues to increase, particularly in cities
• Water availability is influenced by; construction of dams, destruction of wetlands, poor farming practices, drought and floods, alien plantations, depletion of water table, boreholes, wastage, cost of water