Uploaded on 2015-05-27 by JStelli

Johannesburg is one of the few cities that was not established along a water source. There is no predominant river, lake or sea nearby. Therefore, the movement of water into the city is an important aspect of the infrastructure. A large source of our water comes from the Lesotho Highlands and travels along various rivers, before reaching the Vaal Dam, where it is stored. The water is then brought from the Dam into the city, where it is kept in various locations before being distributed. The water then leaves the city through either the sewage system or through runoff. The rapid development and growth of Johannesburg has resulted in sprawl that has consumed a vast amount of agricultural land adjacent to the city. Also, the current global environment means that people are buying products that cannot be sourced locally. This means that food is being transport to the City from other provinces, adjacent countries as well as from across the seas. The food enters the city, via train or truck, from where it is supplied to the distributors, to the supermarkets and to the informal traders. Some of the food is then processed in the city and redistributed elsewhere. The inhabitants of Johannesburg also form a sort of stock and flow. Many of the people do not live in the City, but rather in townships and suburbs on the outskirts, or in adjacent smaller towns. These people commute into the city either daily or weekly, to work, socialise and study, before returning to their homes. The City is also a receptacle for foreigners, who enter South Africa and reside in Johannesburg, before establishing themselves either elsewhere in the City or in other parts of the country. To improve the stocks and flows within our City, as discussed, a new sustainable approach needs to be considered. Rainwater could be collected and harvested to provide a better source of water to compliment the water brought in from Lesotho. Urban farming could be established in order to produce more local input. The City should densify in order to allow for more residents to live within the city rather on the outskirts. A new, sustainable approach to City living would affect the various stocks and flows mentioned, as well as have a positive knock-on effect for others not mentioned. ![The Vaal Dam, Free State, South Africa][1] ![Commuters in mini-bus taxis, Johannesburg, South Africa.][2] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14327196925222198.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14327196427483367.jpg