The Drakensberg Source of Johannesburg's Water
Johannesburg receives most of its potable water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, via the Vaal dam. However, there is another significant inter-basin water transfer scheme that feeds into the Vaal, called the Thukela-Vaal Transfer Scheme.
This scheme is one of the country's great feats of engineering, incorporating an underground power station at its heart — the Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme. The scheme will function as the "on" switch if South Africa ever experiences total grid failure.
The Thukela-Vaal Transfer Scheme is a source of grievance for many communities in the Drakensberg area, who are bypassed by the scheme's waters and must rely on rivers and boreholes for their water needs.
The Thukela River rises on Mont-Aux-Sources, a peak in the Drakensberg range that lies mostly within Lesotho but flows eastwards down the South African side of the range.
Author's summary: Johannesburg's water source is a feat of engineering with a contested history.
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