World Water Day was celebrated on Tuesday, which formed part of National Water Week, which took place from 20 to 26 March.
According to CapeNature, the aim was to educate and raise awareness. This year’s World Water Day theme was “Groundwater: making the invisible visible”.
Groundwater is formed when rainwater sinks into the soil and around rocks, and when it hits a barrier such as a solid sheet of rock, where it collects and forms underground lakes that are called aquifers.
Locally the Elandsfontein and Langebaanweg aquifers are some of the biggest water massas and were used as additional water sources during droughts.
According to Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, traditional bulk-water supply sources are coming under increasing pressure, groundwater has a vital role to play. “South Africa is a water-scarce country and to avoid another ‘Day Zero’ scenario there needs to be a shift in the way we think about groundwater,” he said. “It is not an endless supply that we can tap into. We also need to protect groundwater from pollution resulting from burying waste and discharging pollutants to soil such as pesticides and commercial fertilisers.”
Groundwater plays an important role in water supply, particularly the Boland Mountain range and the protected areas within it which serves as a catchment for both surface water and groundwater. These protected areas included CapeNature managed protected areas.
The Cederberg, Riviersonderend Langeberg, Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains all contain large land parcels of CapeNature managed protected areas, all of which ensure the conservation of strategically important sources of water.
“The significance of the groundwater supply comes into play during the summer months when the summer base flow consists mostly of groundwater in the Mediterranean climate in most of the province,” CapeNature explains.
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) developed a Sustainable Water Management Plan aimed at optimising water usage and paid attention to groundwater use, water reclamation through the re-use of effluent from wastewater treatment plants, as well as the optimisation of desalination.
Aside from government plans CapeNature reminds residents that saving water is everyone’s responsibility. “Cut your showers down to two minutes – long showers use lots of water,” it urged consumers. “Don’t leave your taps running while you brush your teeth – rather use a glass of water. Hold off washing small bundles of clothes and rather wash full loads. Plant indigenous plants and trees as these use less water. Always remember every drop counts.”
