With floods and abnormally high rainfall figures making headlines this season, it is difficult to believe a prediction that South Africa could run out of fresh water by 2030.
A message in the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan issued two years ago outlines this possible dire situation. At that time, already, it was said that a mind shift would have to occur at all levels of government, business and civil society to avoid this.
Key areas of concern were stated, such as: Municipalities lose R9,9 billion a year through leaks and upaid water bills; 3 million people do not have access to basic water supply; 44% of water treatment works are in a poor or critical condition while 11% are dysfunctional; and water in rivers, dams, estuaries and lakes is becoming more polluted.
That was the situation in March 2018. Taking the excellent and all-encompassing excuse of the Covid-19 pandemic into consideration, chances are good that the situation did not improve.
On the contrary.
World Water Day was celebrated on Tuesday (22/03), focusing on the importance of fresh water. The United Nations stated that using or wasting more water than is replenished by rain, combined with water pollution, can lead to depletion.
While standing ankle-deep in flood water, South Africans easily forget the devastating effect of drought on the country. While tending to leaking roofs, it is easy to ignore the fact that billions of litres of fresh water is wasted daily in this country not known for high rainfall.
As long as people are able to get water from a river or pan, or just open the tap, they will not believe that the natural resources of the Northern Cape, such as sun, wind and minerals, cannot be utilised without water.
