WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE

The Boland Groot Winterhoek SWSA Collective is a collaborative platform designed to protect two critical water source areas that supply the majority of water to Cape Town and surrounding regions. The Collective coordinates efforts to combat threats such as invasive alien plants and land degradation through nature-based solutions and integrated governance, linking national policy with local implementation.

• The Boland and Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) are critical for regional water security; the Boland SWSA provides 97% of the water for the City of Cape Town and its surroundings, while the Groot Winterhoek SWSA supplies Cape Town, Ceres, Saldanha, and Atlantis.
• The Boland SWSA covers 608,054 hectares with 70% natural or semi-natural land cover and 20% agricultural use, supporting approximately 1,149,000 people. The Groot Winterhoek SWSA covers 518,310 hectares with 87% natural or semi-natural land cover and 11% agricultural use, supporting approximately 164,000 people.
• Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a primary threat to these water source areas, causing reduced river flow, wetland destruction, and dam siltation. It is estimated that IAPs result in the loss of 1.44 billion litres of water annually, which is equivalent to the needs of 3.38 million households of four people.
• The Boland Groot Winterhoek SWSA Collective, formed in 2022, acts as a 'platform of platforms' to align national-scale interventions with local project implementers, such as water user associations and green SMEs, to improve ecosystem health and water access.
• Nature-based responses to climate change, specifically clearing invasive alien trees, have proven highly effective. As of October 2024, the Greater Cape Town Water Fund has cleared 32,347 hectares in priority sub-catchments, replenishing 17.6 billion litres of water into streams per year.
• The Collective is working to mainstream ecological infrastructure into municipal service delivery, specifically targeting the Theewaterskloof, Breede Valley, and Witzenberg municipalities to reduce flooding and fire risks while increasing water gains.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandworking, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }