WATER SUPPLY
Long-term solutions needed The Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa precipitated a need for water tanks to be installed across the country to ensure communities have clean water. It has also highlighted the extent to which many communities still do not have adequate access to water and sanitation.
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ational Treasury approved the use of R306 million from the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation’s (DHSWS’s) 2019/20 Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant for the implementation of Covid-19 interventions. By 20 April, 7 698 water tanks had been installed across the country, and 1 239 water tankers deployed. Since then, thousands more tanks have been rolled out to schools and communities across South Africa. The aim has been to supply communities that are without access to a continuous supply of piped potable water with clean water for handwashing and hygiene in order to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A more permanent solution
The widespread roll-out of tanks has drawn attention to the need for more permanent water supply solutions for unserved communities. Mannie Ramos Jnr, COO, Abeco Tanks, stresses that short-term solutions are not the answer to the systemic water crisis in our communities. The problem is that, although 95% of South Africans now have water supply infrastructure, only 64% have a supply that is both safe and reliable. For
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JULY /AUG UST 2020
