Journal Volume 112

As water conservation efforts aid Cape Town in surviving the worst drought in a century, there are an encouraging number of businesses and individuals who are pursuing initiatives to boost water supply. But what often obstructs them, according to SRK Consulting senior environmental consultant Scott Masson, is the necessary red tape around water provision.

Vivid scenes of worried Cape Town residents clutching empty water vessels in long snaking queues are ricocheting around the globe. Everyone is asking, “How did this happen?” Or, more precisely, “Can it happen in my city?” The importance of effective water management has been shoved, blinking, into the limelight.

World Water Day occurs on 22 March every year. Read some inspiring stories about water from around the world on UN Water.

This year’s World Wetlands Day (2 February) was celebrated in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, by bringing together community leaders, municipalities, state departments, scientists and industry to discuss a workable solution to the rapidly declining water levels in the area. This includes the Vazi Pans peatland wetland system.

Read more about debunking desalination in this article published by WWF: Wednesday Water File #7.