NATIONAL WATER WEEK – 15 TO 21 MARCH 2010

National Water Week, an awareness campaign aimed at highlighting the need to conserve and safeguard this precious natural resource, will this year be celebrated under the theme – “Together We Can Save More Water”.  It represents a call to action to all South Africans to ensure that water resources are protected for both current usage, and for future generations.

Members of Proudly South African, who are all committed to responsible environmental practice, are urged to continue to set an example in using all natural resources sparingly and in communicating relevant, practical information to staff and others within their sphere of influence.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the Minister of Water Affairs, has encouraged South Africans to “… pull out all the stops to ensure that our visitors enjoy safe and clean potable water”.  She indicated that this can be achieved by either initiating or participating in various planned activities during the National Water Week, such as: 

• To adopt and clean dirty rivers in various areas throughout South Africa;
• Reporting of leaking and burst pipes;
• Fixing leaking taps – business and home environment;
• Using water sparingly a all times;
• Report any illegal abstraction of water from rivers and other water sources for commercial or domestic use;
• Report industries and individuals that dump their toxic waste in our rivers.

The Department and other stakeholders such as the water boards, municipalities and NGOs have arranged a variety of events throughout the country to enable every South African to become actively involved in the National Water Week campaign.
The United Nations General Assembly has also designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water,  an initiative that developed out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro.
The misuse of our country’s water resources can be reported at the toll free number instituted by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) - 0800 200 200.

For more information visit the Department’s website at http://www.dwa.gov.za/events/waterweek/2010/

Click here for Minister`s National Water Week Message 2010