Always respect water

WATER is life and a source of socioeconomic development. Without it, there is basically no life and livelihood.

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It is therefore important that we respect water and treat it with utmost care as it gives us life and has no substitute.

South Africa is a water-scarce country in the top 30 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 become a norm in our country. It 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 and which is leading to overflowing dams and raging rivers is not a licence to be wasteful and use water irresponsibly.

As we receive this rain and have an abundance of water, we must always remember that we are heading into a 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 in South Africa until we get good rains again.

We must also remember that we are faced with the effects of climate change which does not guarantee us good rains in the next rainy season.

It is crucial that we prioritise water conservation to ensure a 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. Every drop counts.

Let us create a culture of using water sparingly and entrench water conservation.

Let us fix leaks which 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. Fixing leaks must become 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 us.