On 22 March 2016 South Africa celebrates National Water Week, an awareness campaign by the Department of Water and Sanitation re-iterating the value of water, the need for sustainable management of this scarce resource and the role water plays in eradicating poverty and under-development in South Africa.
The Water Research Commission, South Africa’s dedicated national water R&D agency fully supports this initiative with various supporting activities. The vision of the WRC is to have highly informed water decision-making through science and technology at all levels, in all stakeholder groups, and innovative water solutions through research and development for South Africa, Africa and the world says Dhesigen Naidoo, CEO of the WRC.
A culture of learning and sharing combined with innovation and creativity, integrity and fairness, will make sure that the Water Research Commission (WRC) plays a leading role as a global water knowledge node as South Africa's premier water knowledge hub. To sustain this, the innovation value chain must cut across policy and decision making; new products and services for socioeconomic development; human capital development in the water science sector; and community empowerment and poverty elevation.
During National water Week the department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will create opportunities to educate stakeholders about water - the importance of it and the role it plays in society, as well as encourage South Africans to read more, learn more, watch videos, download material on water. Access to safe water is a basic human right, and therefore making it important for us to ensure that there is enough for all, forever.
The WRC will support National Water Day and Week and the theme “Water for people, Water By people” by launching a booklet “How to Save Water – A householders Handbook” . The booklet will be distributed in various communities and the launch will take place in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. The WRC is partnering with Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo and the Outlook Foundation focusing on both school learners and community members. The WRC anticipate on having 60 learners and 300 community members on the day of the event with various organisations exhibiting conducting activities relating to Water. The launch of the handbook will be on 23 March 2016 at 09h00 - 13h00 at the Diepsloot Gym Park.
