Strategies for Water Conversation, Water Management
Pretoria: Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has stressed the need to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and efficient water use.
She said water was a vulnerable and precious resource, especially in the context of South Africa's semi-arid climate and that the country's mean annual rainfall was below the world's average.
Ms Sonjica was addressing delegates attending the launch of the National Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategies in Johannesburg today.
This is part of National Water Week.
She said the strategies launched today, were fundamental in promoting efficient water use.
"They are consistent with the National Water Act of 1998, particularly in line with the National Water Resource Strategy that was launched in September 2004 and the Water Services Act which emphasises the effective management and efficient use of our water recourses and water services provision."
The strategies cover agriculture, local authorities and water services, industry and mining.
She said they were a broad framework in which water conservation and demand management could be incorporated into planning, design, operation decommissioning of relevant schemes and projects.
The strategies define the roles and responsibilities of the different institutions involved in water resource management and water supply services.
They particularly highlight the roles the Department of Water and Forestry, catchments management agencies, bulk water suppliers, water services authorities and water user association had in this regard.
The Minister said the strategies could be used as means of achieving cost savings, limiting losses and reducing non-revenue water or unaccounted for water "I urge you all to take full ownership on these strategies and to implement them in daily activities, whatever water user sector you represent or where you live. We can build in the common version as partners-in the public and private sector," she said.
Minister Sonjica said people should ensure that water resources were protected water resources rather than just let them go away.
"This should become part of our daily lives and it should not only happen in relation to water restriction because there is draught. We need to educate ourselves so that we can ensure that there is some [water] for all for ever and that is sufficient," the Minister emphasised.
This against the background that water will always remain a scarce resource in South Africa.
The country is semi arid with a national rainfall average of 450 mm well below the international average of 860mm.
Being a water scarce country and one of the 30 driest countries on earth, government singled out municipalities as pivotal in this regard, "as they have the scope to put in place comprehensive strategies to address our water use".BuaNews (Pretoria)
