Let's continue to preserve water, our precious resource

Water is life and a source of socio-economic development. Without water, there is no life and livelihood. It is, therefore, important that we respect water and treat it with the utmost care, as it gives us life and has no substitute.

South Africa is a water-scarce country in the top thirty of the driest countries in the whole wide world, therefore, it is important to respect and use the little water that we have wisely and sparingly. Water conservation must be a norm in our water-scarce country.

Water conservation is critical at all times, whether in times of abundance, as we currently see overflowing rivers and dams, or during times of need, such as drought. The rainfall we are currently receiving, leading to overflowing dams and raging rivers, is not a licence to be wasteful and use water irresponsibly.

As South Africa is a water-scarce country, there is no time to waste water as every drop counts. As we receive this rain and have abundant water in our water resources, we must always remember that we are heading into the dry winter season in most parts of the country.

Responsible water use behaviour is crucial to ensure that the water in storage in our dams and other reservoirs lasts throughout the dry winter season until we get good rains again. We must also remember that we are faced with climate change, which does not guarantee us good rains in the next rainy season.

We must prioritise water conservation to ensure reliable and sustainable water supply throughout the year and ensure water security for the current and future generations. Water conservation is everybody’s responsibility and business. Let us create a culture of using water sparingly and entrench water conservation.

Let us fix leaks, as they are a major contributor to water losses. Let us fix leaks in our households and report bulk leaks to the relevant authorities and push them to fix those leaks. The fixing of leaks must be a priority as we cannot afford to lose a single drop of water in our water-scarce country.

Always remember that water is life; therefore, we need to take care of it to take care of ourselves. Water is life, and this calls for us to take care and protect our water resources, especially from pollution, to ensure the supply of good quality water which promotes good health and a good life. Let us protect our water resources- our rivers, dams, streams, wetlands, and all other water resources and prevent their

Department of Water and Sanitation South Africa DWS_RSAuse as dumping sites. Clean and healthy water resources provide clean water for healthy communities and society. Water is life, but it can also turn deadly, especially if we do not respect it.

As we receive this welcome rainfall, which raises water levels in our rivers, dams, and other water resources, it is important that we do not undermine the water but always take extra care and caution. Let us not try to cross swelling streams and rivers and also avoid trying to cross flooded roads and bridges.

Always prioritise safety first and prevent unnecessary loss of property and lives. The flooding we are currently experiencing shows us that we need to respect water and respect floodlines. Let us not build on floodlines, and let us respect our water resources at all times.

Authorities must also prevent people from encroaching on floodlines to prevent unnecessary disasters. Water is life.

Let us be responsible and use it wisely and sparingly to ensure water security. Let us also respect it and water resources to prevent unnecessary losses and ensure a sustainable supply of excellent quality water.

Themba Khoza I  Department of Water and Sanitation South Africa