Summary
The Drakenstein Municipality faces significant water constraints due to urban growth and climate change, with urban water requirements projected to grow by 129% by 2040. Agriculture, particularly grapes which consume 80% of irrigated water, is a major driver of demand. By 2040, the estimated water deficit could cost the local economy approximately R10.5 billion per annum and 57,218 jobs.
Key insights
- Water is projected to be a major constraint for future development in the Drakenstein Municipality (DM) due to the combination of rapid urban growth, climate change, and a high concentration of high-value irrigated crops, specifically stone fruits and wine grapes.
- Urban water requirements in the Drakenstein Municipality are expected to increase by 129% by 2040, which will be the highest growth among all Berg WMA municipalities excluding Cape Town.
- Climate change is forecast to increase agricultural water needs in the municipality by 32% between 2015 and 2040, with requirements for stone fruit and grapes increasing by 29% and 34% respectively.
- The municipality's water deficit is estimated to reach approximately 34.1 million m3 per year by 2025, representing 24% of the total Berg WMA deficit, and is projected to rise to approximately 57.9 million m3 per year by 2040.
- The economic impact of the water deficit by 2040 is estimated at approximately R10.5 billion per annum (58% of the current local economy) and a loss of 57,218 jobs per annum (62% of current local employment).
- Agriculture is a primary water consumer in the municipality, with grapes alone accounting for 80% of all irrigated water used.
Cite the original document
- APA
- GreenCape (2018). Municipal Snapshot. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/DRAKENSTEIN-SNAPSHOT-5.pdf
- Chicago
- GreenCape. Municipal Snapshot. 2018. https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/DRAKENSTEIN-SNAPSHOT-5.pdf.
- Wikipedia
- {{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Municipal Snapshot |date=May 2018 |url=https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/DRAKENSTEIN-SNAPSHOT-5.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}
- BibTeX
- @techreport{greencape2018municipal, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Municipal Snapshot}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2018}, month = may, url = {https://greencape.co.za/assets/Uploads/DRAKENSTEIN-SNAPSHOT-5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }
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