THE more than 2000 delegates who will be attending the five-day ANC national general council in Durban from Monday can do this country one favour.
They can contribute to the drive to conserve clean drinking water in South Africa by simply drinking tap water.
It is common knowledge that litres of bottled water are normally consumed at such gatherings.
It is estimated that by the end of this year South Africans will have drunk more than 600million litres of bottled water
According to statistics from National Bottled Water Standards it is estimated that South Africa's bottled water market generated more than R1,7billion last year.
The downside is that environmentalists believe the plastic in which the water is packaged contributes to pollution.
Bottled water also requires large amounts of energy to produce and transport. All these, environmentalists warn, leave a huge carbon footprint.
Experts have also pointed out that producing bottled water uses more water than the consumer actually buys from the shop. It is estimated that during the commercial filtration of bottled water up to seven litres of water is wasted for every three litres bottled.
This is high wastage that a country like South Africa cannot afford.
There has been recent warnings about how the country could face serious water shortages in the next 10 years if it is hit by a serious spell of drought - something that is not inconceivable given the spectre of global warming.
Chris Herold, a council member of the SA Institute of Civil Engineers, recently warned that there was a mismatch between water demand and new sources of supply, resulting from the failure to stem water losses in the country's water supply systems.
He pointed out that the Vaal River system, which supplies Gauteng, already has a 2percent supply deficit, which will progressively worsen to an 11percent deficit by 2019.
It has also been revealed that the Umgeni River system in KwaZulu-Natal has an assured supply of only 92percent, with a one in 13 risk of water restrictions.
The Vaal and Umgeni supply water to regions generating two-thirds of SA's gross national product. The problem is compounded by the fact that our water supply is also being polluted.
Earlier this month Parliament was warned that the seepage of acid water from mines could lead to a water crisis in Gauteng.
During an SABC programme last week a group of women involved in water conservation also sounded a warning about the need for South Africa to ensure a healthy supply of clean water.
"Water is the source of life," one of the participants said.
According to scientists water is the most important nutrient for humans. It is also responsible for transporting other vital nutrients to the body's cells, as well as eliminating waste.
Other important functions that water performs in our bodies are:
- lowering of blood pressure;
- minimising the risk of heart disease; and
- keeping our skin in good condition.
Another important factor is that water does not contain calories, an important point for those who want to lose weight. In fact, it is estimated that the human body is made up of about 75percent water, depending on age, body fat, etc.
One could probably survive for four to eight weeks without food but it is estimated that a lack of water could cause death in about 10 days at room temperature.
It is incumbent on all of us to try and conserve this important commodity and also contribute to the fight against global warming.
The ANC delegates and their allies can contribute to this noble cause by not only discussing and reviewing the party's policies, but by carrying out the simple exercise of drinking tap water instead of "designer water".
Large quantities of bottled water are imbibed during such gatherings. This usually happens during the long session and after hours, when the delegates and their "new money" friends relax over copious amounts of aged alcohol.
SA is well known for supplying clean tap water. We do not need to buy bottled water. Those who believe they need such water can use a simple domestic filter that does not contribute to waste.
Let the delegates go back to basics and drink from a jug of the tap water that most of them grew up drinking.
Drink tap water like the rest of us
THE more than 2000 delegates who will be attending the five-day ANC national general council in Durban from Monday can do this country one favour.
They can contribute to the drive to conserve clean drinking water in South Africa by simply drinking tap water.
It is common knowledge that litres of bottled water are normally consumed at such gatherings.
It is estimated that by the end of this year South Africans will have drunk more than 600million litres of bottled water
According to statistics from National Bottled Water Standards it is estimated that South Africa's bottled water market generated more than R1,7billion last year.
The downside is that environmentalists believe the plastic in which the water is packaged contributes to pollution.
Bottled water also requires large amounts of energy to produce and transport. All these, environmentalists warn, leave a huge carbon footprint.
Experts have also pointed out that producing bottled water uses more water than the consumer actually buys from the shop. It is estimated that during the commercial filtration of bottled water up to seven litres of water is wasted for every three litres bottled.
This is high wastage that a country like South Africa cannot afford.
There has been recent warnings about how the country could face serious water shortages in the next 10 years if it is hit by a serious spell of drought - something that is not inconceivable given the spectre of global warming.
Chris Herold, a council member of the SA Institute of Civil Engineers, recently warned that there was a mismatch between water demand and new sources of supply, resulting from the failure to stem water losses in the country's water supply systems.
He pointed out that the Vaal River system, which supplies Gauteng, already has a 2percent supply deficit, which will progressively worsen to an 11percent deficit by 2019.
It has also been revealed that the Umgeni River system in KwaZulu-Natal has an assured supply of only 92percent, with a one in 13 risk of water restrictions.
The Vaal and Umgeni supply water to regions generating two-thirds of SA's gross national product. The problem is compounded by the fact that our water supply is also being polluted.
Earlier this month Parliament was warned that the seepage of acid water from mines could lead to a water crisis in Gauteng.
During an SABC programme last week a group of women involved in water conservation also sounded a warning about the need for South Africa to ensure a healthy supply of clean water.
"Water is the source of life," one of the participants said.
According to scientists water is the most important nutrient for humans. It is also responsible for transporting other vital nutrients to the body's cells, as well as eliminating waste.
Other important functions that water performs in our bodies are:
Another important factor is that water does not contain calories, an important point for those who want to lose weight. In fact, it is estimated that the human body is made up of about 75percent water, depending on age, body fat, etc.
One could probably survive for four to eight weeks without food but it is estimated that a lack of water could cause death in about 10 days at room temperature.
It is incumbent on all of us to try and conserve this important commodity and also contribute to the fight against global warming.
The ANC delegates and their allies can contribute to this noble cause by not only discussing and reviewing the party's policies, but by carrying out the simple exercise of drinking tap water instead of "designer water".
Large quantities of bottled water are imbibed during such gatherings. This usually happens during the long session and after hours, when the delegates and their "new money" friends relax over copious amounts of aged alcohol.
SA is well known for supplying clean tap water. We do not need to buy bottled water. Those who believe they need such water can use a simple domestic filter that does not contribute to waste.
Let the delegates go back to basics and drink from a jug of the tap water that most of them grew up drinking.
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