Abstract
In many of South Africa’s rural communities, rivers and rain water storage tanks are the main source for domestic water supply and agricultural use. However, from 2015 to date South Africa has faced severe water shortages due to the worst droughts the country has experienced in over 23 years. The droughts have led to the reduction in flow volumes of some rivers and domestic rain water storage tanks being rendered mostly empty. This greatly endangered the livelihoods of many rural communities in South Africa. This study investigates the implementation of an affordable cooling condensation type Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) solution for coastal rural households as a supplementary water source in the event of water crisis. The eastern coastal region of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), situated between the towns of Amanzimtoti and St. Lucia, was chosen as the case study location due to the favourable climate conditions for the implementation of AWG technology as well as the large number of surrounding rural communities that have been affected by the on-going draughts...