ABSTRACT
Climate change is a global reality, with its associated impacts largely manifesting through irregularities related to the water cycle (Lemmen et al., 2008). Climate studies worldwide indicate that our rapidly changing environmental conditions are expected to alter precipitation quantity, intensity, frequency and duration as well as decrease water runoff and groundwater and increase water temperatures, which will subsequently increase the risk of waterborne pathogens in drinking water reservoirs (de Loë and Plummer, 2010; Harper et al., 2011). Drinking water quality and contamination of water – from source to tap – with pathogens (e.g. bacteria), agricultural pesticides, sewage and waste effluent and algal growth and production as a result of climatic changes are also raising national and international concern (Delpla et al., 2009).
