ALM UNDP

The project team ultimately intends to create a centre of excellence for integrated modelling that will provide lessons to other areas across Africa facing similar challenges and draw students from across the continent to study climate change adaptation.

To understand how climate change would affect water resources and water supplies, thus informing decisions about how to best utilize this already limited resource.

Impact on government planning: This project led to a fusion of the national and local water infrastructure planning projects, and has increased government interest in pursuing demand management approaches. DWAF has added a chapter on climate change to the Olifants Management Report. This report is used by regional and national government and provides planning analysis for the next 50 years.

Identification of ways in which USAID can help Polokwane deal with its problem of water limitation:

a) Working with the government to build capacity that will allow better coordination of water use and supply between communities sharing resources;

b) Promoting demand management by expanding water metering programs;

c) Working with the local government to establish a price structure in which water price rate increases with increasing water usage;

d) Working with the Department of Housing on modifying building codes to encourage adopting water efficient technologies;

e) Evaluating whether water pressure reduction would help reduce water loss through leakages, and if so, supporting implementation of such measures;

f) Working with the South African government to develop and adopt a drought management plan for the Olifants Basin and/or Polokwane; and

g) Supporting studies to investigate the potential for increased use of recycled waste water.

1. Stronger involvement with the Mission would facilitate implementation. This project was only tangential to work going on at the Mission, which does not have additional resources for this project.
2. A small additional amount of money ($5,000 -$10,000) would allow for direct follow-up engagement with local parties and potential partners who might be interested in implanting adaptations identified by this pilot.
3. USAID believes adaptation activities should support improved standard of living, economic growth, and other objectives. It must be emphasized to all stakeholders that adaptations must be in harmony with broader development objectives. Some workshop participants were initially in favor of discouraging improvements in water supply, such as water taps in private homes, which might increase water use.