22 March 2007
South Africa has done considerably well in conserving water, Professor Asit
Biswan, an international expert on water management said in Johannesburg on
Thursday, 22 March 2007.
Addressing about 400 delegates who are attending a two-day National Water
Conservation and Demand Management indaba at Gallagher Estate in Midrand,
Biswan said despite recent reports that South Africa was losing billions of
litres of water annually due to leaks and burst pipes, the country was rated
among the top ten in the world on water conservation.
"South African has done considerably well in water provision and water
management compared to some of the developed countries. Singapore is doing far
better than South Africa and should establish knowledge hub for water
conservation and could be a knowledge centre for Africa.
"South Africa should not look at London or United States but look at
Singapore and Cambodia who have done remarkably well," she said.
In her speech, the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Lindiwe
Hendricks, said local authorities played an important role in water
conservation and demand management.
Hendricks said the government had allocated R45 million to municipalities in
the country as part of the flagship to conserve and preserve water.
Hendricks said some municipalities were doing a good job in conserving water
by implementing Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategies.
The Indaba was among others attended by Gauteng Local Government MEC Qedani
Dorothy Mahlangu, Biswan, representatives from Rand Water and Johannesburg
Water, including municipalities.
Hendricks said "I am aware that some municipalities are doing an excellent
job in implementing Water Conservation and Water Demand Management with
wonderful results in water savings, reducing losses and encouraging users to
become efficient. Such information (of municipalities doing a great job in
preserving water) should not be limited to technical people and officials of
government alone. It is crucial for people to understand this and be an
integral part of the solution.
She said the extent of water losses, wastages and inefficient use of water
was negatively affecting the ability of municipalities to provide sustainable
services; conversely successful receipt of water income by municipalities could
improve their financial position.
"My department is, therefore, looking at how we can support municipalities
to implement water conservation measures. To date, an amount of R45 million has
been allocated to municipalities as part of the flagship pilot on water
conservation and water demand management implementation. A minimum of eight
municipalities selected across the various regions will receive this support as
national pilot for the coming financial year."
Mahlangu said water was a scarce resource in the Southern African region and
therefore needed strategies and mechanisms to conserve "this precious
commodity."
"In the past two months, there has been little or none in other areas and
this call upon all of us to redouble our energies and ensure that water is used
efficiently and wisely.
"Water Conservation and Water Demand Management is a challenge for us and we
have to embark on public campaigns to educate people to use water wisely. We
have also established that water wasted in the province amounts to millions
being lost because people are careless or not aware that we are heading for a
crisis situation if we do not act now," she said.
Mahlangu added that strategies to curb water losses were more critical and
urgent. Implementation of steps such as boiling an amount of water needed for
usage at a time; fixing leaks and replacing them with washers; putting a water
saving device into a toilet cistern and not leaving a tap running when brushing
one's teeth or shaving would result in water conservation.
"If all of us in Gauteng implement these things in our individual
households, we would have saved for many generations to come. In responding to
the challenge of inefficient water use in municipalities we have installed
meters in areas where none existed before; replaced old infrastructure and
setting resources aside for maintenance," she said.
She said it was important for the three spheres of government to work
together in achieving the 2014 Millennium Goals of halving poverty and
unemployment, including the eradication of buckets by 2007; universal access to
basic water by 2008 and the universal access to basic sanitation by 2010.
Enquiries:
Themba Sepotokele
Tel: (011) 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Themba Khumalo
Tel: (012) 336 8270
Cell: 082 802 3432
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial
Government
22 March 2007
