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Water is one of the most important elements essential to attain food and health security, as well as economic development of any country, particularly for a semi-arid country like Botswana. Effective utilisation of this valuable but scarce resource has necessitated emphasis on demand management as opposed to supply management, such that sustainable use of the resource to meet the increasing demand can be achieved. This paper examines the various strategies made/proposed in the country to manage the growing demand for water. The strategies encompass the use of tariffs, water reuse/recycling and water restrictions. Other attempts encourage water conservation through rainwater harvesting and implementation of technological innovations with exploration of non-conventional sources.
Botswana, development strategy, non-conventional sources, population density, semi-arid, urban centres, wastewater, water demand management, water security
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