A case for integration: water resource and development planning in the Berg Water Management Area

The Berg Water Management Area (WMA) faces a projected water supply deficit of approximately 300 million m3 per year by 2040, which could cost the region over R146 billion and 650,000 jobs annually. Current planning systems are fragmented, treating water and economic development as independent variables, and local municipalities often lack the capacity to secure off-budget financing for infrastructure. The brief recommends that the Western Cape Government support municipalities in integrating water planning into Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), advocate for a regional water utility, and employ hydro-economic modelling to prioritise interventions.

• The Berg Water Management Area (WMA) is a constrained catchment where all readily available water is already allocated, and it is projected to require 45% more water by 2040 due to climate change and population growth.
• By 2040, the water supply deficit is forecast to reach approximately 300 million m3 per year, representing 36% of the current regional water requirement. While the agricultural sector will feel the deficit most acutely in 2025 (accounting for 87% of the total deficit), by 2040 the deficit will be split almost evenly between urban and agricultural requirements.
• The projected water supply deficit could result in an annual regional loss of more than R146 billion and nearly 650,000 jobs by 2040. The urban sector is expected to generate 99% of this opportunity cost, with the City of Cape Town's individual opportunity costs estimated at R100 billion per year.
• Agricultural water needs for key crops are expected to rise significantly: grapes by 34%, stone fruit by 29%, and citrus fruit by 35%.
• Existing planning systems in the Berg WMA are not equipped for integrated decision-making, as water resource development and economic development are treated as separate processes. Specifically, the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process does not require a discussion on how development impacts natural resources or a meaningful consideration of future water supply interventions.
• Local municipalities (LMs) and Water Service Authorities (WSAs) struggle to develop local water resources due to a lack of capacity and the inability to raise off-budget finance for 'commercial' or mixed-objective infrastructure projects, as they often fall below the financing threshold of the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA).

APA

GreenCape (2018). A case for integration: water resource and development planning in the Berg Water Management Area. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/BERGRIVER-POLICY-BRIEF-WEB3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. A case for integration: water resource and development planning in the Berg Water Management Area. 2018. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/BERGRIVER-POLICY-BRIEF-WEB3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=A case for integration: water resource and development planning in the Berg Water Management Area |date=2018 |url=https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/BERGRIVER-POLICY-BRIEF-WEB3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2018case, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{A case for integration: water resource and development planning in the Berg Water Management Area}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2018}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/BERGRIVER-POLICY-BRIEF-WEB3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }