From left: Prof Willie Nel (COD: Department of Environmental Sciences), Lerato Bapela (Department of Environmental Sciences), Samanta Stelli, (Rand Water), Thabo Masike (Department of Water Affairs) and Charles Makuwerere (Bembani Group) at the water colloquium
“There will be no global crisis because of physical scarcities of water. If there will be a crisis it will be because of poor water management.” This was the conclusion that the Asian Development Bank came to a decade ago. It is with this conclusion that International Water Day, held annually on 22 March is becoming more imperative with each passing year.
In support of water conservation, Unisa’s Department of Environmental Sciences hosted a colloquium on 22 March 2012 focusing on the uncertainty of water in a changing environment.
Thabo Masike’s (Department of Water Affairs) presentation entitled “Water Conservation (WC) and Water Demand Management (WDM) is a national imperative to ensure water security for the country” stressed the importance of WC and WDM and the implementations that should be taking place. Explaining WDM, which is the adoption of a strategy by water institutions to influence demand for water and reduce overall consumption by end users, Masike said that “one can’t be using water passed an acceptable bench-mark. We shouldn’t believe that because this is a gift from God, we can use and abuse as we see fit.”
Advocating for Water Conservation the Water Wise Way, Samanta Stelli, from Rand Water, echoed Masike’s words. With South Africa being a water-stressed country, Stelli shared the vision of Rand Water’s Water Wise campaign which is aimed at increasing awareness of the need to value water. She explained the fundamental need for this campaign based on climate change, drought, limited water resources, growing population, environmental damage and cost-savings to name a few. She said, “we have to look at ways of reducing water use and re-using or recycling water to meet the needs of our growing country.”
From a South African perspective, Lerato Bapela (Department of Environmental Sciences, Unisa), delved into the impacts of climate change on water resources. Through her presentation she did a global overview of water security, adaptation measures and policy based priorities. Some of the adaption measures Bapela mentioned include water conservation and demand management, groundwater exploration, water harvesting, soil water conservation, efficient irrigation farming practices and education to name a few. She said, “education increases understanding of the impacts of climate change on water and enables better planning and use of resources.”
The colloquium also gave a platform to other speakers discussing relevant views on water conservation, including Sydney Nkosi (City of Jo’burg), Prof John Dewar (Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, Unisa), Charles Makuwerere (Bembani Group), Thomani Manungufala (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Wandile Nomquphu (Water Research Commission) and Dr Tobias Barnard (Water Institute of Southern Africa).
