Water for generations to come

In a press release to promote National Water Week from 2 – 8 March the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Lindiwe Hendricks, is calling on all South Africans to join efforts to conserve and protect the country’s water resources. South Africa is a water scarce country and the public is urged to make water conservation a part of their daily lives.
The theme for Water Week is “Water is Life: Securing the Nations Need’s Across Generations”.
In Thabazimbi no events were organized to celebrate Water Week and promote awareness, but a village outside of Lephalale was visited on Wednesday 4 March by representatives of the provincial Dept of Water Affairs and Forestry.
According to Lucia Sifaro from that department, this year they focused more on the issue of cholera and how to avoid getting infected when utilizing unsafe water. Demonstrations were given on the use of bleach as a disinfectant. They also focused on health hygiene.
According to the Dept of Water Affairs, it aimed through Water Week to raise  awareness around the need to protect and conserve the country’s water resources, to highlight the contribution that water makes to social and economic development and to highlight the role water plays in sustaining all forms of life in South Africa. It also hoped to shed light on how water resource management, water quality management, water conservation and water demand management are linked.
The department is mindful of the enormous challenges facing the water sector and in particular the challenge of securing water for growth and development and for future generations, the statement continues.
Minister Lindiwe Hendricks is therefore pleased to announce the launch of the Water for Growth and Development Strategy Framework that will set in motion a course of action to ensure that there is sufficient water to support South Africa’s growth and development initiative.
The strategy aims to ensure that there is sufficient water for the country to achieve its 6% economic growth target. At the same time, every person in South Africa must have access to potable water.
Details of this plan will be made available during Water Week 2 – 8 March 2009.
In addition Water Week takes place at a time when the department is preparing to represent South Africa at the 5th World Water Forum scheduled from 16 – 22 March 2009 in Turkey. It is also bidding to host the 2012 World Water Forum and currently is shortlisted in the top two.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kepper/31753036/