South Africa turns to desalination during worst drought in 150 years
Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton (Reuters) – South Africa will increasingly use desalinated seawater to meet growing demand for drinking water in coastal towns facing the worst drought in 150 years, the country’s water minister said Thursday. South Africa is a water-scarce country with an average rainfall of 450 millimeters — compared to a world average of 860 mm — and conditions are expected to worsen as a result of global climate warming. “South Africa has a boundary consisting of approximately 3,000 kilometers of sea water, and this water is presently unusable because of its high salt content,” Water Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said in her budget vote speech on Thursday. “We therefore made a decision to press ahead with unconventional water treatment, in this case desalination, largely because of the unavailability of river water due to drought,” she said. Popular tourist coastal towns Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, George and Mossel Bay are facing severe water shortages due to prolonged drought in the southern Cape region. These towns have turned to purifying seawater, as well as treating so-called grey water — waste water generated from domestic activities like laundry and bathing — to help meet their drinking needs. … “There is ample scientific evidence that the impact of the effluents from the desalination plants on the seawater environment increase the seawater temperature, salinity, water current and turbidity,” said Sonjica. …
South Africa looks to sea to meet growing water demand
Can you confirm that the two photos you show were in fact taken during the same time of year? This is mediterranean vegetation and it should be green during Austral fall, winter, and spring.
According to the Earth Observatory site, the photos were taken July 21, 2002 and July 21, 2003. You could contact Jacques Descloitres at the MODIS Rapid Response Team if you want to confirm.
Thanks!