National Water Week

Treasury’s 2012 Budget Review, tabled by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan last week, says South Africa will start running out of water 13 years from now without better management.

“On current projections, South Africa’s water demand will outstrip available supply between 2025 and 2030,” the document states.

What is a future without water? What can you do to ensure there is enough water for the generations to come?

  • Begin by learning where your drinking water comes from. Find out what activities occur in these areas that could adversely affect water quality.
  • Attend local meetings about developments that could possibly affect your water catchment. Ask questions about how your waterway or storage systems will be affected.
  • If there is an opportunity, form a group to tackle water issues in your area or join an existing one.
  • Ask your local council, water authority, catchment management authority, Town Committee, or environmental group to organise a clean up of local rivers, streams and catchment areas.
  • Get involved in community activities to repair riverbed and bank erosion.
  • Support protection of wetlands, which act as a natural filter for rivers and streams, and provide habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.
  • Support water quality monitoring programs through local schools, tertiary institutions and community groups.
  • Call your local water authority to report industries and individuals that dump their toxic waste in our rivers. Report the misuse of water and other faults to the nearest municipal offices or call the Department of Water Affairs’ toll free number at 0800 200 200.

Community involvement is vital to water resource protection. National Water Week helps to achieve a national focus on water, with many activities and events occurring during this time. The awareness week campaign will take place from 18-24 March 2013 under the theme “Water is life – Respect it, Conserve it, Enjoy it”.

Tags:

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply