Several rivers in Durban have been a muddy brown colour over recent months. But this week, factory workers in the New Germany industrial area were shocked by the vivid blue colour of a local stream that flows into the city’s largest river system. A local industry worker said he became aware of the pollution at 8.30am on 13 March, and it was reported to city authorities … [Read more...]
UN Conference seeks solutions to global water crisis
The world’s precious water resources are “in deep trouble” and leaders met at UN Headquarters last week to address what has become a multifaceted global crisis, before it is too late. The three-day UN Water Conference fell at the halfway point for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include the promise of ensuring all people have access to safe water … [Read more...]
Groundwater: protecting SA’s ‘invisible resource’
Groundwater is a critical resource to the world. In fact, it provides almost half of all drinking water worldwide, not to mention about 40% of water for irrigated agriculture and about 1/3 of water required for industry. More than this, it is also crucial in sustaining ecosystems, maintaining the base flow of rivers and even in preventing land subsidence and seawater … [Read more...]
Better recycling needed to protect limited water resources
Water, as we know, is a limited resource that is essential for all life on this planet. This makes it all the more astounding that so many of us simply take it for granted, especially in a semi-arid country like South Africa. This should clearly demonstrate that it is vital that the nation as a whole changes the value it places on this life-giving resource. World Water Day … [Read more...]
What is the state of environmental governance transparency?
Around 50% of the records requested from the Department of Environmental Affairs during 2015 were supplied to the Centre for Environmental Rights. The rest did not exist or were not under control of the Department. The Department of Mineral Resources released only 12.5% of requested records. The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has released its fifth report on access to … [Read more...]
Funky new water innovation helps you save
Innovation in the water arena is one of our most crucial needs now as climate change threatens our water resources in a fast escalating fashion, especially here in Africa. Being more water-efficient and wise will help sustain our quality of life. It also means less money out of our pockets, as less available fresh water means rising costs. Yet the typical home is set up to … [Read more...]
Can nanotechnology help rescue our water?
Finding new ways to tackle the growing challenge of accessing clean drinking water has become a priority for most countries around the world, including South Africa. With recent statistics indicating that more people are dying annually from unsafe water than from all forms of violence combined, including war, there has never been a greater global need. In South Africa, an … [Read more...]
