By KATLEGO BOLOKANG
American anthropologist and educator, Loren Eiseley once said that “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water”. This is corroborated by the Department of Water and Sanitation mantra – ‘water is life, sanitation is dignity’.
Water is the central phenomenon attached to life because water gives rise to life for the humans and all living organisms – those living on the land and in water. Therefore, water is critical and indispensable for human life.
From a very young age, we are taught to drink eight glasses of water. Therefore, water is a very critical component to maintain our lives.
Without water -you die, period. The fierce demand for water in our country has proven that water is very valuable. However, in our busy lifestyles, especially in cities, we fail to understand that water does not come from the tap, but it comes from rivers and dams.
Today, the value of rivers and dams including their surroundings are continuously degraded and disregarded due to the continuous pollution. Our rivers, streams, lakes are the most important resources of water.
The water coming from our taps is the same water that has originated in those resources. The same water from the rivers, streams, and lakes underwent crucial treatment to bring it to the end product that comes from our taps.
Therefore, we need to give value to water from our rivers as much as we value water coming from our taps. We should stop throwing plastics, cans, and different debris into or near our rivers and streams because they are not dumping sites.
Let us start protecting them, instead of polluting them. Polluting our rivers and streams can change the biological and quality of our water.
The process of treatment of raw water and bring it to the required SANS 241 standard, has become costly due to the detrimental quality of water in our rivers and even dams because of pollution of the sources by members of the community. The Department of Water and Sanitation appeals to the communities, especially those that reside along water courses to protect our rivers and lakes and not to pollute them.
The department has been fostering volunteerism in all sectors of our societies, may it be communities, schools, municipalities and even churches to join hands and adopt rivers and streams to ensure that they are free from pollution and are in a good quality to ensure that fresh and clean water always runs from their taps.
Please, play your part and report all illegal dumping into our rivers, streams and dams to the Department of Water and Sanitation on toll free 0800 200 200.
(Note: Ms Katlego Bolokang is a Communication Officer in the Department of Water and Sanitation. The views raised in this article belongs to the author and does not represent Taung DailyNews and its associates)
The Guardian 