Key Findings – Access Database
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The Database stores the same twenty survey responses inside
a single Microsoft Access table named water scarcity (database). Each record here is given a unique, automatically generated ID field, which
makes the data suitable for relational lookups and more rigorous cross-tabulation between
questions. The sections below describe the table structure, show a sample of the stored
records, and present findings obtained by comparing pairs of questions against one another.
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Database Table Structure
The table holds twelve fields: the response timestamp, ten survey questions, and an
auto-generated record identifier. All text fields are stored as short text (up to 255
characters); the ID field is a Long Integer autonumber primary key.
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#
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Field name
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1
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Timestamp
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2
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Are you aware that South Africa is a water-scarce country?
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3
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How serious do you think water scarcity is in South Africa?
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4
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Where do you mostly get information about water issues?
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5
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Do you actively save water at home?
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6
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How many litres of water do you think you use at home per day?
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7
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Which of the following water-saving methods do you use?
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8
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Have you ever been affected by water restrictions or shortages?
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9
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Do you think the government is doing enough to address water scarcity?
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10
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If the water usage in cities was reduced, would it improve water availability nationwide?
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11
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What do you think is the best solution to reduce water scarcity in South Africa?
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12
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ID
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Sample of Stored Records
The table holds twenty records in total. The first six are shown below as an
example of how the data is stored.
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ID
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Timestamp
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Aware?
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Severity
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Info Source
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Saves Water?
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1
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27/04/2026 23:42:45
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Yes
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Slightly serious
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News (TV/Radio)
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No
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2
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27/04/2026 23:58:54
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Yes
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Very serious
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Social Media
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Yes
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3
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28/04/2026 01:02:40
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Yes
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Moderately serious
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Social Media
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No
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4
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28/04/2026 01:05:33
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Yes
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Moderately serious
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Social Media
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Yes
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5
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28/04/2026 19:00:04
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No
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Moderately serious
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News (TV/Radio)
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No
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6
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28/04/2026 19:01:38
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Yes
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Moderately serious
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Social Media
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Yes
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Cross-Tabulated Findings
Because every record in the Access table carries a unique ID, it was straightforward to join
each respondent’s answer to one question with their answer to another. The four
comparisons below highlight relationships that are not visible when each question is looked
at on its own.
Awareness vs. Experience of Restrictions
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Aware of scarcity
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Restrictions: Yes
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Restrictions: No
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Yes
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14
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3
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No
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3
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0
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All three respondents who were unaware that South Africa is water-scarce had nonetheless personally experienced restrictions – suggesting lived experience alone does not guarantee awareness of the wider national picture.
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Water-Saving Habit vs. View on Government Action
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Actively saves water
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Govt: No
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Govt: Not sure
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Yes
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12
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1
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No
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5
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2
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Respondents who actively save water at home are also the most likely to say the government is not doing enough – a pattern consistent with people who feel personally responsible expecting more from public institutions.
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Restriction Experience vs. Active Water-Saving
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Experienced restrictions
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Saves: Yes
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Saves: No
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Yes
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11
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6
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No
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2
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1
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Respondents who have experienced restrictions are somewhat more likely to actively save water, but the difference is modest – six of the seventeen who experienced restrictions still do not save water at home.
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Estimated Daily Use vs. Restriction Experience
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Estimated use
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Restrictions: Yes
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Restrictions: No
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Less than 100L
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8
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2
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100–200L
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7
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0
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200–300L
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1
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0
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More than 300L
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1
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1
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Respondents who estimate using 100–200 litres per day have all experienced restrictions, while the small group who have never experienced restrictions is spread across both the lowest and highest usage estimates.
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Summary of Key Findings
- The Access table cleanly stores all twenty responses with a unique ID field, enabling reliable cross-tabulation between any two questions.
- Even respondents unaware of South Africa’s water-scarce status had experienced restrictions themselves, showing awareness and lived experience do not always align.
- Active water-savers are more likely than non-savers to say the government is not doing enough, hinting at a link between personal responsibility and public expectation.
- Experience of restrictions is only loosely linked to active water-saving behaviour – over a third of those affected still do not save water at home.
- Respondents estimating 100–200 litres of daily use were unanimous in having experienced restrictions, the strongest usage-related pattern found in the database.
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