Water conservation refers to the control and development of water resources both surface and groundwater and prevention of pollution.
Water stress is evident in large parts of the world. It affects food and energy production and its ecological needs, and adversely impact on the health and live hoods of peoples. Climate change and associated uncertainty will exacerbate matters. Many parts of the country are in water crisis. Large parts are under water stress-water stress precedes water scarcity.
South Africa is a water scarce country and we are running out of water as a Nation swiftly, yet many people do not seem to value or realize its importance. The South African Constitution states that everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water. The Constitution also protects people’s right “to an environment that is not harmful to our health or well-being” and that “everyone has a right to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations”.
Water resources should be protected, used, controlled, conserved, managed and developed.
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The available water is limited and yet the population continues to grow , so the reality is that in the next 20 years South Africa will move from being a water stressed country to a water scarce country .Despite the recent minor rainfall, drought remains a serious concern. The rainfall level we get is insufficient for the population in South Africa.
EWS: Education and community has various programmes to incorporate a strong participatory approach to ensure two-way communication, has been developed to address a number of challenges including the misuse and wastage of water, high level of non-revenue water, drought awareness, vandalism, sewer blockages and presence of water borne diseases such as Cholera. The target group for the programmes includes poor (vulnerable) communities in both rural and peri-urban areas. Schools and communities become actively involved in water management education programmes which are listed below:
School Presentations:Promote good practices of water and sanitation management, recycling of wastewater and re-use of greywater, rainwater harvesting, celebration of special calendar days etc. Presentations are also conducted using our street theater team, water mascot (Consi). The main aim is to educate learners about various environmental issues that we grapple with on daily basis.
Educators Workshops:Educators are made aware of our education programmes through workshops. This is where they receive firsthand information on correct water and wastewater management practices. This is another way where we link our educational activities with the school curriculum.
Community/Public Participation: To improve community and interaction to ensure sustainability of water systems.
Water Detectives Programme: Ensuring a water wise school by promoting water and sanitation management by taking action through active learning.
Green Rivers: Preventing pollution and taking back our river to promote sustainable water use and improve water quality.
Enviro-Forums (Masakhane and Sukuma Sakhe):These forums are established with the purpose of achieving a greater degree of co-ordination and effectiveness on various issues, especially those of an environmental nature. The forum is inclusive of business proprietors, health organizations, members of the public and councilors.
Door to Door:To educate residents on proper water management. This programme aims at addressing complaints, environmental impacts etc…
Special Days:Is a general name given to days or weeks which have been set aside to mark a particular aspect of the environment. Prominent among these are Water Week, Sanitation Week, World Environment Day, Arbor Day and National Clean up Week.
Take a Girl Child to Work: Learners are exposed to a variety of careers with special reference to Engineering field of study, motivational talks and life learning experiences by speakers from different departments. Build up activities were conducted prior to the actual day, e.g. one on one interviews with the girls.
Clean up campaign: After the identification of illegal dumps in streams in order to ensure sustainability and to prevent water pollution, clean up campaigns are conducted working in collaboration with different departments. These cleanup campaigns involve communities and other stakeholders.
Exhibitions: Career guidance Fairs, Sustainable Living Exhibition, Blitz to promote the importance of water conservation, health and hygiene and promoting careers that are related to the water and sanitation industry.
Special Projects
Drought Awareness Campaign: Targeting Malls, Airport, Government Department etc. to create awareness on the drought effects and water restrictions.
Any additional information that the public should know on water conservation
With more than 100 kilometers of coastline, the eThekwini (Durban) region offers beaches for everybody's taste. Whether your ideal beach is bustling with activities or quiet and secluded, we have the beach to suit your needs!
The eThekwini Water and Sanitation Scientific Services take numerous samples from the rivers at different points on a monthly basis and test for a variety of parameters. Interpreting the data is complicated as one does not have an idea about what the numbers should be or what would constitute a good or bad result.
The eThekwini Water and Sanitation Pollution and Environment
Branch in conjunction with the eThekwini Water and Sanitation
GIS have developed an easy to read map with the data presented
as colour coded river segments that will enable anybody to know
what the water quality of a major river is for that month.
