BY: PRUDENCE NHAVINGO
The Department of Water and Sanitation has cleared a week from the 20 to the 26
of March the National Water Week to celebrate Water Week by urging everyone to
use water sparingly to ensure water for all.
“The National Water Week campaign is aimed at educating the public about their
responsibility in water conservation initiatives, raising awareness around the need to
protect and conserve the country’s water resource,” a statement issued by the
Department of Water and Sanitation.
Parts of South Africa have faced water scarcity due to dry climates or semi-arid conditions. This scarcity is exacerbated by uneven water distribution and human activities such as industry, agriculture, and domestic use.
Rand Water the South African water utility that supplies potable water to the Gauteng
province and other areas of the country is also taking part in the National Water
Week celebration. And it encourages and request their respective citizen to use
water sparingly.
“The 20 to the 26 of March is a campaign to honor water and encourage action by
addressing the water crisis. This day serves to contribute towards the Sustainable
Development Goal 6 which aims to provide water and sanitation for all in 2030 and
this year’s theme is “leveraging water for peace” which focuses on the critical role
water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world”, by Rand Water.
The ROSE Foundation that prevents the irresponsible dumping and burning of used
lubricating oil has also taken part in the National Water Week campaign as they are
also preventing used oil from polluting cleaning water.
“It is never too late to change the way things are done. Recycling used oil allows us
to continue to enjoy what many of us take for granted every day- clean, potable
water,” says Bubele Nyiba, CEO of The ROSE Foundation.
The City of Johannesburg has recently experienced a significant breakdown in its water system, affecting millions. A report by the national Department of Water and Sanitation found that 40% of Johannesburg’s water is wasted due to leaks, including pipe bursts.
“ A power station that supplies electricity to one of the city’s major water pumping
station had been stroked by lighting, causing the station to fail,” commented
Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
