DWS in partnership with GIBB and Sunlight explore other avenues to increase water supply in South Africa
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in partnership with engineering company GIBB and Sunlight today, 13 July 2017, held a roundtable discussion to and share ideas on how to expand the pool of water resources in the country.
The discussion attended by industry experts, was held at the GIBB head office in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
Desalination of seawater and the re-use of waste water into potable water were the main alternatives that were discussed during the seating. .
DWS's Acting Deputy Director-General for Infrastructure, Leonardo Manus highlighted the Department's plans to pursue these alternative sources which will ensure that water consumers are not only reliant on dams and reservoirs.
"Over time Cities have generated unnatural demand of water and as more people move to the cities there will be economic growth that comes with the introduction of industrial manufacturing. This increases demand for water, meanwhile our water resources remain the same, there is therefore a definite need to re-look at how we handle our water resources and most importantly how we use water" said Manus.
The speakers also tapped into the issue of human behavioral change towards water being a challenge that contributes to water scarcity in the country. They all agreed that although new technologies are vital in increasing water supply, some social problems cannot be solved with technical solutions, but public awareness campaigns are needed to inflict change in the way people respond to certain situations that result in water losses.
The roundtable discussion is just one of the laudable initiatives that DWS has in place to rope in the private sector into the water industry to ensure collective solutions to water challenges.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
