EXPERT OPINION: World Water Day: Water for Peace | by: Dr. Ntuthuko F. Masikane
World Water Day is observed every year on the 22nd of March and this year is no exception Water is one of the planet’s most precious resources. World Water Day promotes the responsible use of water and access to safe water for everyone.
Every day, people use water for drinking, agriculture, industry, recreation, hygiene, sanitation, and health care. Water resources are precious and finite. Warming temperatures and other natural and human-made stressors threaten to impact the quantity and quality of our water on a large scale. World Water Day highlights the essential role water plays in our lives and how we can better protect it.
What is unique about this year’s celebration, is the theme that hits closer to home. This year’s theme is Water for Peace. Without peace, there is war and water are crucial in maintaining a balance between war and peace. One does not need to look further than Durban, to highlight the importance of water in maintaining peace. Since the floods of 2022, the situation of water provisioning in parts of eThekwini Municipality has been worsening with time and the residents have run out of patience. Similarly, Rand Water in Johannesburg is grappling with various issues of water service delivery, with worries of system collapse on the horizon.
Do I even need to mention the obvious water crisis that led to the suspension of academic activities in KwaDlangezwa Campus? Water, particularly freshwater, is a very scarce, precious, and unevenly distributed natural resource. For example, our largest rivers such as the Vaal that flows towards the west and uThukela that flows towards the east, together with a network of other rivers, are not enough for South Africa, such that it gets supplemented by water from Lesotho. It should be common knowledge by now that less than 5% of this valuable resource is available for various uses. Besides domestic use, freshwater is crucial in various sectors such as agriculture and industry. Even the environment itself requires a certain amount to keep functioning and providing important goods and services. It is for this reason that freshwater in South Africa is protected by law under the National Water Act 36 of 1998. Freshwater resources are so important such that Steven Solomon in his book titled; Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization; warns us that most of the 21st Century conflicts will be fought over water. This means that water is more important than other natural resources such as coal and oil. The only reason that water receives less attention is because of the economic value that is attached to it, which does not reflect its actual value. Water conservation and management is therefore crucial in ensuring the sustainable use of this resource. Think about your role in protecting that precious resource and you will not only contribute to peace, but you will also contribute to livelihoods. But as a first step, I suggest that you learn about the importance of freshwater in South Africa. I, therefore, recommend that you read a local book by Prof Jenny Day and the late Prof Bryan Davies called Vanishing Waters, which is available for free from the Water Research Commission website.
- Dr. Ntuthuko F. Masikane
Senior Lecturer (Zoology)
