Easing the water shortage: The case of George Local Municipality

Abstract

It is a well-known fact that water as a basic natural resource is indispensable for life. Income and food of millions of people across the globe are directly dependent on the availability of fresh water. The main focus of this article is on how the George Municipality, in the Eden District, managed its water supplies during the worst drought the area experienced, for the period 2009 to 2011. The article looks at interventions put in place to counter the water shortage problem in order to determine their effectiveness. A qualitative research approach was employed where purposely selected key role-players were given an in-depth interview. The study revealed that the Municipality was not only able to mitigate the impact of the dilemma, it also succeeded in putting measures in place to counter the impact of droughts should such a natural disaster reoccur. One of the key recommendations was to create continuous awareness amongst consumers around water restriction measures and strategies to use water wisely.