Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Water Resources and Africa’s Development Mike Muller Director General Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

Water Resources Water Resources and and

Africa’s DevelopmentAfrica’s Development

Mike MullerMike MullerDirector GeneralDirector General

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Department of Water Affairs and Forestry South AfricaSouth Africa


Water Resources and Africa’s DevelopmentWater Resources and Africa’s Development

Outline:Outline:

• IntroductionIntroduction• Water and development – Water and development – NEPADNEPAD

• The “three ages of rivers”The “three ages of rivers”

• The infrastructure gaps The infrastructure gaps

• Some infrastructure planning principlesSome infrastructure planning principles

• ConclusionConclusion



Introduction: Water provides-Introduction: Water provides-• The base for great civilisationsThe base for great civilisations

• Yangtse, Indus, Mesopotamia – the land between the riversYangtse, Indus, Mesopotamia – the land between the rivers• Africa’s great NileAfrica’s great Nile

• Arteries for communicationArteries for communication• Amazon, Rhine, the Great Lakes of North America Amazon, Rhine, the Great Lakes of North America • The magnificent CongoThe magnificent Congo

• Power for the world’s industryPower for the world’s industry• 19% of world’s electricity production19% of world’s electricity production• Largest renewable resourceLargest renewable resource

How can we, How can we, – promoters of development, promoters of development, – managers of water, managers of water,

Ensure that water contributes to African development ?Ensure that water contributes to African development ?


Water Resources and Africa’s Development Water Resources and Africa’s Development

Water & development & NEPADWater & development & NEPAD

NEPAD needs water for:NEPAD needs water for:

• Economic and social servicesEconomic and social services

• Agriculture and food securityAgriculture and food security

• Energy, renewableEnergy, renewable

• TransportTransport

• Key economic sectors:Key economic sectors:– mining, manufacturing and tourismmining, manufacturing and tourism


Africa’s natural legacy: extreme variabilityAfrica’s natural legacy: extreme variability

Kenya: Annual Rainfall Variation about the Average

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

1956

1958

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980


BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

Africa’sAfrica’s

water position:water position:

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

Africa’sAfrica’s

water position:water position:

Stressed !!Stressed !!

- 2- 21 of 50 of world’s most 1 of 50 of world’s most arid countries (in terms arid countries (in terms

of water per person) are of water per person) are in Africa in Africa

(UN World Water Assessment)(UN World Water Assessment)



The Three Ages of RiversThe Three Ages of Rivers

– More than enough More than enough (Congo)(Congo)

– Nature needs help to meet our water needsNature needs help to meet our water needs(Orange-Senqu)(Orange-Senqu)

– Basin “closed” - no more water available Basin “closed” - no more water available better management of what we have is only optionbetter management of what we have is only option( ? ! ? )( ? ! ? )


Returns on investment as intensity of use growsinfrastructure vs management

Many African

countries

All industrial countries

More than enoughMore than enough ““closed basins”closed basins”



The Infrastructure GapsThe Infrastructure Gaps

• Where we have more than enoughWhere we have more than enough

• Where we need more than natureWhere we need more than nature

• Where the basin is “closed”Where the basin is “closed”

• Infrastructure to manage and measureInfrastructure to manage and measure




• Where we have more than enough:Where we have more than enough:– Infrastructure to take water where neededInfrastructure to take water where needed

• abstraction works, pump stations, canals, ….abstraction works, pump stations, canals, ….

– Infrastructure to remove water and protectInfrastructure to remove water and protect• dykes and other flood protectiondykes and other flood protection

• drainage ….drainage ….

– Infrastructure to generate powerInfrastructure to generate power• run of river hydropowerrun of river hydropower




• Where we need more than nature:Where we need more than nature:– Infrastructure to store, secure and conserveInfrastructure to store, secure and conserve

• DamsDams

• Related hydropower developmentsRelated hydropower developments

– Infrastructure to transport to where neededInfrastructure to transport to where needed• Canals, pipelines, pump stationsCanals, pipelines, pump stations

– Infrastructure to maintain water qualityInfrastructure to maintain water quality• Waste-water treatmentWaste-water treatment


Africa's infrastructure: Water Storage Per Person (m3)

43746

1,287 1,406

2,4863,255

4,729

6,150

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

Eth

iopi

a

Sou

thA

fric

a

Tha

iland

Laos

Chi

na

Bra

zil

Aus

tral

ia

Nor

thA

mer

ica



Not just storage:Not just storage:

The world’s largest reservoirsThe world’s largest reservoirs

Reservoir Reservoir Basin Basin volume (km3)volume (km3)

Owen Falls Owen Falls Victoria-NileVictoria-Nile 204204Bratskoye Bratskoye AngaraAngara 169169Nasser Nasser NileNile 169169Kariba Kariba ZambeziZambezi 160160Volta Volta Volta Volta 148148

But not the world’s best accessBut not the world’s best access


Africa

EuropeN America

S AmericaAsia (incl.

China)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Regions - Hydropower Potential Tapped


E. Africa - Europe: Electricity/HP comparisonE. Africa - Europe: Electricity/HP comparisonPop Pop

millionmillionGNP/cap GNP/cap

$$HP pot. HP pot.

MWMWHP dev. HP dev.

MWMWElec/cap Elec/cap kWh/yrkWh/yr

CO2 CO2 ton/c/yrton/c/yr

EthiopiaEthiopia 6161 105105 45,00045,000 700700 2222 0.000.00

KenyaKenya 2929 361361 1,6001,600 700700 106106 0.050.05

RwandaRwanda 88 241241 100100 2727 2626 0.000.00

TanzaniaTanzania 3333 267267 3,2003,200 557557 5656 0.010.01

UgandaUganda 2222 298298 2,8002,800 278278 3838 0.000.00

AustriaAustria 88 23,33323,333 18,30018,300 11,70011,700 6,4576,457 1.511.51

FranceFrance 5959 22,12822,128 26,00026,000 25,20025,200 6,5396,539 4.324.32

GermanyGermany 8282 22,43022,430 8,0008,000 5,6005,600 5,9635,963 4.504.50

ItalyItaly 5858 18,80818,808 22,80022,800 15,26715,267 4,7324,732 2.982.98

NorwayNorway 55 36,88936,889 47,20047,200 27,87327,873 24,42224,422 3.233.23



The Infrastructure GapsThe Infrastructure Gaps• Where all the water is used:Where all the water is used:

– Infrastructure to improve water useInfrastructure to improve water use• Canal lining, irrigation intensificationCanal lining, irrigation intensification

• Household and industrial retrofittingHousehold and industrial retrofitting

– Infrastructure to import waterInfrastructure to import water• Dams, canals and pipelinesDams, canals and pipelines

– Infrastructure to “make” waterInfrastructure to “make” water• Waste water reuseWaste water reuse

• DesalinationDesalination



The Infrastructure GapsThe Infrastructure Gaps• In all cases:In all cases:

– Need information for planning and control Need information for planning and control

– Infrastructure to manage and measureInfrastructure to manage and measure• Flow measurementFlow measurement• Flow controlFlow control• Communication and early warningCommunication and early warning

– investment in management infrastructure investment in management infrastructure = investment and operational savings= investment and operational savings



Some Planning PrinciplesSome Planning Principles– Plan for users Plan for users

• large reservoirs are not enoughlarge reservoirs are not enough• Test users desire – do they contribute ?Test users desire – do they contribute ?

– Plan with all partiesPlan with all parties• Cooperate on shared riversCooperate on shared rivers• Affected parties must also be better offAffected parties must also be better off

– Plan for the environment Plan for the environment • but people come firstbut people come first

– Plan and fund for the futurePlan and fund for the future• Public investment for next generation returnsPublic investment for next generation returns



ConclusionConclusion : :

With water, through cooperation, With water, through cooperation,

• between countriesbetween countries• between sectors between sectors • between peoplebetween people

we can we can contribute to Africa’s developmentcontribute to Africa’s development


EndEnd

Documents

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Water Resources and Africa’s Development Mike Muller Director General Department of Water Affairs and Forestry