Taps Run Dry as South Africa’s Per Capita Dam Capacity Falls by 44%

Water scarcity deepens as dam construction lags behind population growth

South Africa, once a pioneer in large-scale dam construction, is now facing a critical water capacity crisis. Over the past 45 years, the country’s per capita dam capacity has plummeted by a staggering 44%, leaving far less water available for agriculture, hydropower, and municipal supply per person than in the 1980s.

What once looked like a continent-leading investment in water infrastructure has now turned into a cautionary tale of neglect, red tape, and missed opportunities.

The Rise: A Golden Era of Mega Dams

Between the 1960s and 1980s, South Africa invested aggressively in water infrastructure, building some of the continent’s largest dams. The Bloemhof Dam (1970), Gariep Dam (1971), Vanderkloof (1977), and Sterkfontein (1980) were all milestones of engineering meant to secure the country’s water future.

By 1980, per capita dam capacity had surged to nearly 894,000 litres per person. South Africa had one of the most ambitious dam-building programmes in the developing world.

The Fall: Democracy and the Dry Spell in Dam Building

But since 1980, that momentum has not just slowed, it’s stalled. While 14 large dams were built between 1964 and 1994, only two major dams have been completed since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

Between 1994 and 2024, South Africa added a meagre 1.9 billion cubic metres to its water supply, compared to 30 billion cubic metres in the three decades prior.

Even more alarming: none of the dams built in the past four decades exceed 400,000 megalitres, a sharp contrast to the mega structures of the 1970s.

Where’s the Water Going?

With the country’s population more than doubling over this period, the lack of water infrastructure expansion has resulted in dam capacity per person falling to just 504,000 litres, levels not seen since 1970.

While newer projects have been announced, they are yet to reach completion. Former Minister Senzo Mchunu sounded the alarm in 2023, calling for urgent partnerships and investment. His successor, Pemmy Majodina, unveiled plans in late 2024 for several new dam projects, and President Ramaphosa echoed this in his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

Among the key initiatives are:

• Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project

• uMkhomazi Dam

• Ntabelanga Dam on the uMzimvubu River, aimed at boosting water supply in the Eastern Cape

Analysis: Too Little, Too Late?

The political will to act is finally catching up to the crisis, but the damage of decades of under-investment is already being felt. Load shedding might be South Africa’s most visible infrastructure failure, but water scarcity is fast becoming its most dangerous.

Municipalities across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape are already rationing water, and social media has been awash with frustrated users sharing images of dry taps, queuing at tankers, and leaking infrastructure.

Civic groups are beginning to draw comparisons between the current water situation and Eskom’s power failures, warning that “Day Zero” scenarios are not just a Cape Town phenomenon.

A Nation Thirsting for Change

South Africa’s decline in dam capacity per person is more than a statistical footnote, it’s a reflection of policy inertia, population pressure, and a water infrastructure system left to rust.

The government’s recent announcements offer hope, but no guarantees. Without faster implementation, robust financing, and a national sense of urgency, the country may soon find itself struggling to meet even basic water needs.

If South Africa doesn’t start building big again and fast the taps could stop running for good.

{Source: BusinessTech}

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