Case Study 17: A Trans-Boundry Water Issue: Lesotho, Africa

Question 1

What are the advantages of the Lesotho Highland water project

Answer 1

1. Lesotho is one of the worlds poorest countries and it has a number employment rate of 50% – the LHWP will bring income and jobs to the area
2. It’s provide 75% of the countries income
3. The sofa so government will receive income for the sale of its river
4. People with safe water supply in South Africa increased from 83% to 87% between 1990–2002
5. The dam will provide HEP as well as water
6. Lesotho is benefiting from improved roads
7. Most of the people relocated received compensation
8. New job opportunities created

Question 2

Disadvantages of the Lesotho Highland water project

Answer 2

1. South Africa had to borrow $8 billion from the World Bank – a loan it will have to repay
2. Local people of the sofa so I shadowing with water shortages and sanitation. Local people have not had access to any of the water supplied by the dance since all of the water is piped to South Africa
3. In 2002 only 76% of people in Lesotho had a safe water supply and only 37% had sanitation
4. Residents of Johannesburg in South Africa angry because their water bills have increased before receiving an improved water service
5. Bills went up to pay for repairs to leaking pipes
6. In 2000 up to 50% of water was simply being wasted through leaking pipes
7. Many people have displaced by the construction of the dams and the flooding of the reservoirs
8. There was a rise in prostitution, alcoholism and AIDS as workers came in to build the dam
9. Destroyed thousands of hectares of grazing and arable land

Question 3

What is the issue

Answer 3

1. The sofa though is an independent country that is entirely surrounded by South Africa
2. Lesotho has a lot of water due to the relief rainfall coming from the south-west. However, parts of South Africa have far more densities and a lack of water
3. They planned to pipe water from the photo to South Africa, and build HEP dams along the river
4. 200 km of panel systems to transfer water to areas with low water supply
5. It will divert 40% of water in the Senqu river basin in the Lesotho to the Vaal river system in the Orange Free State of South Africa. The river Vaal then carries the water into Guateng province – a highly populated region