Hope pinned on sustainability
President Jacob Zuma receives a pin from Professor Patrick Verkooijen of the World Bank at the opening of the World Water Day summit and expo at the Durban International Convention Centre yesterday.
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has called for world leaders to distribute fresh water equally to all races.
Zuma was addressing the opening of the World Water Day Summit and Expo held at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre yesterday.
Zuma also launched a 2017 World Water Development Report, which is the UN’s report on the status of water around the world.
He called on world leaders “to urgently prioritise the improvement of access to essential water and sanitation services”.
Zuma said that according to the UN Commission on Population and Development, the world’s population was set to increase from 7.3 billion to 9.7 billion by the year 2050, which would impact negatively on accessibility of fresh water.
“The largest increase in population is expected to happen here in Africa, followed by Asia. These are already among the region’s most adversely affected by water and sanitation problems,” Zuma said.
He added the world would have to use its potential to create new water infrastructure investments, valuing water, catalysing change, building partnerships and international co-operation, as well as creating better human settlements and data.
“Here in Africa we have an even longer term and complementary sustainable development strategy in the form of the AU’s Agenda 2063.”
As the world continues to suffer water scarcity, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane called for the international community to expect to rely on re-used water, including for drinking purposes.
Mokonyane told The Star yesterday that with the scarcity of water in the country, South Africa would have to follow the route of Italy, which supplied purified re-used water for drinking purposes.
“The wastewater treatment solutions in Italy start from grey water to drinkable water. I have drunk their water. There is no way we cannot go that direction.
“The world, especially (countries) that have got sufficient water, is doing it. What about us?” said Mokonyane.
Mokonyane, Zuma and KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu joined international dignitaries, including water experts, for the summit, which ends tomorrow.
Zuma also launched a 2017 World Water Development Report, which detailed the status of water around the world.
Although she did not elaborate, Mokonyane said certain areas of South Africa had started recycling water “up to a level of using it for irrigation and so on”.
“It is happening (in South Africa), but not to a scale at which we should be. The report is calling us to action.
“Come 2030, we will all report to the UN how far we have gone (in terms of recycling water).”
Despite heavy rains that have led to water levels increasing in many of South Africa’s dams, Mokonyane warned that the country was not out of the woods.
“We have a bit and we must manage what we have in a much more responsible way.”
She added that the conference would help world leaders to understand the importance of saving every drop of water, “including for washing your hands”.
“The water that you need to flush your toilet cannot be the same water in terms of quality to prepare your porridge.
“Therefore the use of grey water, which is wastewater, is a resource that we must all start exploiting.”
‘Expect to rely on re-used water for drinking purposes’