South Africa is one of the 30 driest countries in the world but loses trillions of litres of rain water annually.
This was said by the Deputy Minister of Water Affairs Rejoice Mabudafhasi at Sankopano Community Centre when handing over a R1 million rainwater harvesting project to 15 schools.
The project is a partnership of the Rand Water – RandWater Foundation, and departments of water and environmental affairs and basic education. It consists of 25 000 litre JoJo tanks with piping for water reticulation to school gardens. Some of the schools benefiting are Ikage Primary, Bovet Primary and Kwabhekilanga secondary schools representing Emfundisweni, Carter and Dr Knak.
Present at the occasion were the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Enver Surty, general manager of Rand Water Foundation Mohlatleho Sekoaila, councillors, teachers, students, members of local development organisations and community members.
According to Surty, the project is part of government’s 2020 vision on national water conservation through schools education in water and environment resource management. She stressed that as water was scare, it was compulsory to use it wisely because it was a key catalyst for all development initiatives. “Water and environment are enablers for food security and education and without them there will be no life or development,” she said. “With its [water] scarcity, it concerns me that rain water, which is free but seasonal, is not harvested to reduce pressure of demand on surface and groundwater and for use in the drier periods.”
Already the project has made an impact as volumes of water from the recent rains have been saved by the schools. This has resulted in reduced water bills and saving of money for other school needs including food gardens which contribute to the nutritional needs of pupils. Also, community food security is improving, work opportunities are being created for the community, and pupils are now more aware of water conservation and are sharing this knowledge with their families
Details: Pride Mguli on 011 682 0705 or pmguli@randwater.co.za
