WORLD WATER DAY

World Water Day was celebrated on 22 March 2025 and as part of this year’s National Water Week, served as a wake-up call to South Africa’s worsening water crisis.

A series of reports released by the Department of Water and Sanitation revealed that:

*46% of drinking water systems do not meet micro-biological safety standards;

*there is an increasing number of high-risk water treatment plants, making more facilities prone to failure;

*water demand is expected to rise sharply over the next 20 years, with a projected supply shortage of 17% by 2030;

These numbers make it clear that South Africa’s water crisis is a present-day reality and as part of its commitment to addressing this, the Water Research Commission (WRC) is prioritising the following:

*accelerating water re-use technologies, allowing water to be treated and re-used locally;

*advancing climate-resilient water infrastructure to withstand droughts and floods;

*strengthening community-led water conservation initiatives; and

*prioritising research into the sustainable management of groundwater resources, especially in drought-prone areas.

With research-driven solutions and innovative policies, the WRC aims to help South Africa move towards a more sustainable and secure water future.

www.wrc.org.za