Water Security By Jessie Taylor
Water security through partnerships across all sectors
Strengthening service delivery
P
ublic-private partnerships and a focus on the entire water value chain hold the secret to ensuring water security for South Africa.
Speaking at the recent Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) Biennial Conference & Exhibition in Sandton, Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu said his department has several plans in place to ensure water security in the country. The conference is a flagship event of the southern African water sector, bringing together water professionals, companies, regulators , and stakeholders.
Reducing water scarcity through prudent use
South Africa is a water-scarce country, receiving only half of the global average rainfall. In addition, water resources are not distributed evenly in the country, and millions of citizens drink water that is captured in reservoirs in excess of 400km away. Because of this water scarcity, South Africans must be prudent in their water consumption, said Minister Mchunu. However, while there are some water scarcity concerns in parts of South Africa, the county does not face the risk of running out of water, he added.
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the government is committed to putting in place public-private collaboration agreements with industries
“I can state, categorically, that we do not have an immediate threat of water outage. However, this does not mean we are not a water-scarce country, and that people should not use water sparingly. We do not have an immediate water crisis so to say, but we should not lower our guard,” Minister Mchunu said.