Most parts of the country are currently receiving much-needed rainfall. This is a good sign for water supply security as rainfall means more water in our water resources and in storage. We should be celebrating these rains as SA is a water scarce and dry country.
The rains help improve water levels in our dams and watercourses, meaning life to communities and the environment. It is therefore important to note that rainfall is not a licence to use water irresponsibly. Rain does not mean that there is extra water to play with.
We must always strive to be wise water users and conserve the water that we have, to ensure water security for the current and future generations. Using water sparingly and in a more conservative manner must be the norm, no matter the situation.
Water has no substitute, therefore it is crucial that we take care and conserve the little that we have to ensure sustainable supply. Always remember that water is a finite commodity that has no substitute.
Amid this rainfall in most parts of the country, there are rivers that have run dry and dams below 10% and dropping. We have seen Cape Town almost experiencing day zero and the water situation in Nelson Mandela Bay is critical.
There are many others. This clearly shows that we need to play our part in water supply security by simply using water wisely and sparingly and strengthen our water conservation initiatives in this water scarce country.
As we get this much-needed rainfall, it is important to make every drop count and practice rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is an important way of ensuring that we make optimal use of the rainwater we receive and not let the precious resource unnecessarily go to waste.
Let us always remember that our country receives about half the world average rainfall, therefore we need to store more of whatever water we receive for sustainable water security. Rainwater harvesting reduces the strain on the government systems and water resources as it helps to reduce the demand on the systems by using the water collected during the rainy days.
We are also faced with climate change which brings higher temperatures leading to high evaporations and thereby water losses in our watercourses. This makes it crucial to always use water wisely and in a conservative manner, so let us not take rains as a leeway to use water irresponsibly.
Let us celebrate and appreciate the rain we are currently getting and be responsible citizens by using the available water wisely, sparingly and in a more conservative manner for water supply security.
- Khoza is a communications officer at the Mpumalanga water and sanitation department
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