Contaminated groundwater can lead to the poor water quality

It may not be the most glamorous day, but World Toilet Day is celebrated every year on 19 November. This day is about education and taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

The theme for 2022 focusses around the impact of the sanitation crisis on groundwater. As a country where pit latrines are accessible in many areas it is important to try and stop the spread of human waste through ground water into our streams, rivers and soil, further polluting underground resources.

“It has been estimated that South Africa has around 4 million pit latrines. Pit latrines can cause contamination to ground water, if not taken care of properly. These types of toilets can also be a health hazard to those who use them, especially when they are too full. It is unfortunate, that in some schools this is the only form of accessible sanitation that children have,” explains Bronwyn Ragavan, brand manager for Organico.

Ragavan insists that the protection of groundwater is a step within water conservation that needs to be taken seriously, as the infiltration of human waste can be a detrimental to our most precious natural resource. Groundwater is the world’s most abundant source of freshwater, which supports drinking water supplies, sanitation systems, farming, industry and ecosystems. When this is polluted a domino effect is launched and disease, lack of clean drinking water and the destruction of ecosystems can be expected.

“There are many steps that we as South Africans can take to try and help stop contamination. And many of them don’t require any heavy lifting or masses amount of time,” Ragavan comments. Ways in which each of us can help protect our groundwater include:

• Reduce the use of chemicals and make sure they are properly stored so as not to accidently contaminate areas around them. Find out the proper way to dispose of and store any chemicals.
• Manage and care for pit latrines properly so as to avoid the spread of human waste through the groundwater, and also to help prevent the spread of disease. Using an organic product such as Organico to sanitise pit latrines and help breakdown and dissolve the organic waste can help reduce the pollution of ground water. Organico can also be used in homes to lessen the use of fresh water when flushing.
• Select low water-use plants and limit the amount of pesticides and fertilizers used in your yard. Minimise runoff, which can carry chemicals into surface water and groundwater.
• Educating children about the proper use of water, is the start of making sure that future generations understand the importance of looking after what we have. Schools that only have the option of pit latrines need to talk to their children not only about proper use, but the importance of not contaminating ground water and keeping the latrines safe and clean.

This World Toilet Day educate your family and friends about the importance of groundwater, and what they can do to try and limit the pollution of it.