The Water Research Commission says there’s an urgent need to equip young engineers with skills that would enable them to develop innovative solutions in the water sector.
This as water problems persist in areas such as Johannesburg. The commission’s acting group executive Doctor Valerie Naidoo says the country’s growing population and ageing infrastructure are affecting municipalities’ ability to successfully service their communities.
“We also need to start to take not just an infrastructure approach to water but how do we engage with every household, every community, how do we change behaviours to say how do we use water less, how do I use it effectively and efficiently in my household? How are businesses enabled through incentives and bylaws to take on new innovation to use less water?”
Water Crisis | Parts of Johannesburg still without water:
The Water and Sanitation Department says the current mounting water problems in Johannesburg have prompted the City to table a plan to urgently deal with them.
Spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi says, “Minister Mchunu acknowledged efforts being made by the city’s water entity to deal with infrastructure backlogs and the various interventions they are implementing to deal with the current recurring water outages, including the participation and the daily meetings together with the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water and the other two entities, metros to regularly assess.”
