Lesotho Highland Water Project
Background
Lesotho is a highland country, surrounded by South Africa. This means it is heavily dependent economically on South Africa.
Despite food insecurity, Lesotho has a water surplus mainly due to high rainfall in its mountainous regions.
What is the Lesotho Highland Water Project?
This is a huge water transfer scheme aimed to help solve the water shortage in South Africa.
40% of the water from the Segu River in Lesotho will eventually be transferred to the River Vaal in South Africa.
It involves construction of dams, reservoirs and pipelines, as well as roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Advantages
Lesotho
South Africa
Disadvantages
Lesotho
South Africa
Provides 75% of Lesotho's GDP.
Supplies all Lesotho's hydro-electric (HEP) requirements.
Sanitation coverage will increase from 15% to 20%.
Building the first two dams displaced 30,000 people.
Destruction of a unique wetland system.
Corruption has prevented money from those affected by the construction.
Costs are likely to reach US$ 4 billion.
40% of water is lost through leakages.
Corruption has plagued the whole project.
Provides water to an area with regular droughts
Fresh water reduces the acidity of the Vaal River Reservoir
provides safe water to an extra 10% of the population.