You said it in WASA

“There is nothing more important to life on this planet (that has a limited supply) than water. Water is our most valuable resource. It is used for drinking, cooking and the manufacture of almost everything from paper to medicine, to underpinning agriculture and generating electricity,”

Miles Murray, director: Business Development, Veolia Services Southern Africa

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“Good governance is a prerequisite for managing too much, too little and too polluted water. Good municipal governance can improve water services in South Africa by ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently, services are delivered effectively, and citizens are involved in decision-making processes.”

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“According to the UN, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and 4.2 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services. In a country with a history of inequality, SDG 6 has huge significance. But before any change can be accelerated towards achieving this goal, we need to mitigate the impact of load-shedding on our sector and prioritise sanitation.”

Dan Naidoo, chairman, WISA

“WISA provides water professionals with a network of likeminded individuals, people who are all passionate about making a difference in the sector and ensuring that our most precious finite resource is preserved. In addition to that, we offer event and training opportunities where registered professionals can earn their required CPD points.”

“If well maintained, APE and Mather+Platt’s pumps will last a lifetime – across Africa, there are hundreds of working examples. APE Pumps has never discontinued a pump model since inception in 1952, so parts are always available.” John Montgomery, GM, APE Pumps and Mather+Platt

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“We need to turn South Africa into a nation of water custodians. We are a water-stressed country. Even though we have a fair amount of annual rainfall, it’s dispersed very unevenly. Many major urban areas rely on piping water over long distances or creating elaborate dam systems. Yet South Africans are aboveaverage consumers of water. We use a lot, but we don’t take much care of water. When we focus on involving local communities and showing them how they can look after water, we can create a water-aware culture that will lead to more responsible usage. This approach can also support municipal efforts to reduce non-revenue water through better reporting of leaks and water theft.”

Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager, Xylem Africa

“Currently, South Africans are focused on the energy crisis. But it is important to remember that energy and water are intricately connected. Most energy production or conversion involves water in its processes. Over the past 100 years, global water use has increased nearly eight times. This is due to a combination of population growth, economic development and changing consumption patterns. Water use has been growing at 2.5 times the rate of population increase. In just seven years, it is estimated that only 60% of the world’s water demand can be met, while South Africa is the 30th driest country in the world, with a history of droughts.”

Vikash Rampathi, segment lead: Marketing, Schneider Electric

“I have witnessed a positive shift with how mines and industry view water. There is a huge focus on using the least amount of water possible and creating the least amount of waste. They are also ensuring that their surrounding communities receive sufficient water that is of good quality.”

Peter Shepherd, principal hydrologist, SRK Consulting

“Conservation of water is one of the basic principles of a green building. Green buildings save water by integrating waterefficient technologies in their design and construction or by retrofitting these fixtures and technologies.”

Dash Coville, technical manager:

Special Projects, GBCSA

“The Southern African piping industry has undergone many changes. Original, larger traditional manufacturers in the plastic pipe industry, or founding members, have been slow in repositioning and adapting their operations to meet the rapidly changing market dynamics. They have been further hampered by their costly corporate structures that reduced their competitiveness. Other factors influencing the industry has been easy access to low-cost manufacturing equipment, which lowers the barrier to entry and encourages leaner

“Though there is a popular narrative that groundwater is readily available in sufficient quantities, it still needs to be carefully regulated. If not, we might be overabstracting from deeper groundwater resources, which might not necessarily be renewable. In the long term, it boils down to issues of water security, and the various challenges the state faces to achieve this. We need to assist government. And this groundwater app is a fine example of what the Water Research Commission (WRC) constantly tries to achieve.”

Yazeed van Wyk, research manager: Groundwater Hydrology, WRC

“A roads department will generally view stormwater as a liability that must be directed off the road surfaces as quickly as possible because it can be hazardous. For water and wastewater departments, stormwater can also be a liability, as it is a major source of contamination to drinking water sources; however, that same water falling on the roads, if properly managed, can be a resource that recharges groundwater sources. No water should ever be considered a waste.”

Dr Kirsty Carden, associate professor: Department of Civil Engineering and interim director: Future Water Research Institute, University of Cape Town