THE municipalities are making major inroads in turning the tide against the conundrum of water shortages which, if left unchecked, could potentially have turned into a full blown crisis.
On August 12 the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) gazetted the curtailment of water by 15 percent on the integrated Vaal River System due to the inconsistent rainfall in the catchment area.
The effect of the gazette placed an obligation on municipalities to comply with the notice and ensure reduction in water consumption.
We must applaud some of the municipalities that have recorded marked signs of improvement in managing the increased water demand; a number of municipalities have done excellent work in containing the rise in water consumption.
These municipalities stepped up public education and community buy-in to drastically reduce the water consumption. Some have even enforced by-laws successfully and for the first time this week we achieved the 15 percent reduction for domestic users, saving 602 million litres a day.
Although this is not enough to lift the country out of the grips of drought, the Department of Water and Sanitation had to take drastic measures to avert what could have spelt trouble for water supply in the economic hub of the country, Gauteng.
To this end, water was released from the Sterkfontein Dam to replenish the Vaal Dam, to prevent it from dipping to below 25 percent. The water levels in the Vaal Dam are slowly improving and were at 37 percent as of December 1, recording a slight increase from 36.4 percent on November 25. This time last year the dam was at 53.6 percent.
We should, however, be well aware that the Sterkfontein Dam is only a reservoir to be used as a last resort in times of great need; it should not be seen as a solution for all our water woes. For our dams to reach acceptable levels, we will need to have continued rainfall for a period of two to three years.
In exploring additional means of saving water, the department is working with the department of Science and Technology in pioneering the low-pour flush toilets. This groundbreaking innovation, which is already being piloted in selected places, uses only two litres a flush, saving litres of water which are then diverted to the unserved.
The department has also embarked on a nationwide campaign to "Drop the Block".
This is an eco-friendly innovation involving the placing of a block in a toilet tank or cistern to save water. It's designed to reduce potable water consumption by one to two litres a flush.
The department is also prioritising the expansion of dissemination, the cleaning of acid mine drainage, recycling and the re-use of grey water, as well as water-saving irrigation methods. It's by thinking out of the box and embracing new technologies that we will be able to chart a new course in saving our water resources.
However, until we implant the culture of saving water in our daily activities, view water security through the building of new infrastructure and maintenance based on a water and sanitation master plan as the key to informing future water investments, we run the risk of losing the little water we have.
For as long as we do not heed the call to desist from watering gardens or using hosepipes to wash our cars and clean our paving, we are compromising the food security of our country.
The direct result of this would be an upsurge in food prices as farmers struggle to produce and their animals die at an alarming rate.
Although vitally important, there is no amount of awareness campaigning that can get the public to do the right thing.
The government employs whatever resources it has at its disposal to conscientise the public about the dangers of using water recklessly, but the truth is that the buck stops with the public.
Without co-operatively working with the government to lessen water consumption, we run the risk of continued water scarcity because we are an arid country.
A number of experts are already calling for water to be commodified, arguing that for as long as the public receives water freely, they take it for granted.
They argue that appeals to conserve this life-giving resource are falling on deaf ears and that only paying will change their behaviour.
However, the drafters of our constitution were mindful of the unassailable importance of water. Hence water provision is one of the fundamental rights that we are enjoined to provide.
As much as the government cannot wish this responsibility away, equally the public cannot abdicate its responsibility to save water because water has no substitute.
The department continues to call on all South Africans and tourists to continue using water wisely, to appreciate the most important source of life and adhere to the restrictions.