Precious Water South Africa is extraordinarily rich in natural resources - except for water. Increasing demand for water, and decreasing water quality, make careful water management a priority in our country. Rain does not always fall where it is most needed, and some areas of high demand, such as Gauteng, receive less water than they need. Most rain falls in the narrow belt along the eastern and southern coasts. In addition, hot, dry conditions result in a high evaporation rate.
Water is thus a very scarce resource in South Africa.
There are few natural lakes in South Africa. We depend on rivers, dams and underground water for our water supply. Flowing from east to west is the largest river in the country, the Orange River, which drains most of the rest of the country. Its water comes from sources in the Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains, and it flows into the Atlantic ocean on the West coast. About half of South Africa's annual rainfall is stored in dams.