Nondumiso Mciteka, Senior Communication Officer, Department of Water and Sanitation Free State.
As the season change into Winter, it has now become cold with little or no rainfall experienced in most parts of the country. Water remains a critical and essential necessity even during cold season. Water is a very critical element for the citizens all year-round. With that being said, millions of people in South Africa, primarily in rural areas still lack access to water. It is therefore important that we save and use water cautiously to ensure sustainable supply of this precious resource.
Despite the legislative and policy commitments outlined in the Constitution of South Africa Section 27 (1) (b), which states that “everyone has the right to access to water” and that “the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights”, access to water remains a big problem in the country.
One of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) mandates is ‘to lead the sector and enable partners with knowledge and capacity to ensure that all water services are delivered. This indicates a legislatively important role the Department plays in ensuring everyone has access to safe drinking water in the country.
People living in rural communities continue to struggle to gain access to clean water, thus also increasing vulnerable conditions, such as unhygienic living conditions as well as deteriorating health. As it is one of government’s priorities to advance health and education, the Department pursue this through its educational campaigns to promote proper health and hygiene practices in our communities.
The Department also strives to ensure that Municipalities provide communities with accessible, safe to drink, and clean water. In so doing, DWS commits to its mission statement of “being service and delivery oriented”. We strive to get it right the first time, every time, on time, ensuring that our citizens are provided with water and sanitation services they deserve.
As water is a scarce and necessary commodity, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the water is well-looked-after and that leaks are reported to the Municipality. In our day to day living, we should apply the water savings tips given by the DWS during its campaigns. This will ensure that we save the little water we have.
South Africa is still a water-scarce country, and it is always imperative for the all-round preservation of this scarce resource, considering that a lot of work remains to ensure universal access to both safe water and decent sanitation.
