Ahead of the World Water Day, that is being celebrated this weekend, the United Nations released a report, the chief finding of which is that by the year 2030 the entire world would experience a water shortage of close to 60 %.
The age old cry by an ancient mariner that “water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink,” has never been more apt.
It would seem like the water deficit projected by the United Nations in 15 years has come early for Botswana.
From the look of things it will get worse.
We are aware of efforts by Government to mitigate the ongoing shortages.
Our fears however abound.
The economy of this country is too fragile to have to bear yet another shortage of an important commodity like water, especially as we are still reeling from the debilitating effects of electricity shortages from which we are yet to fully recover.
As we said so many times in the past, a way has to be found to ferry water from the northern parts of the country, where there are still substantial supplies and by comparison less demands, to the southern parts where water is almost finished, yet where there is the largest demand, not less because that is where there is much economic activity that sustains the entire country.
The United Nations report points out that going into the future, water will become a source of potential conflict.
The report however also states that water might yet still be an instrument for cooperation.
Reading through the UN Report, one vividly sees the situation as it specifically pertains to Botswana’s water situation.
The report states in graphic details how water shortage might derail economic dreams.
It also suggests solutions.
The World Water Development Report (WWDR 2015) demonstrates how water resources and services are essential to achieving global sustainability. Taking account of economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability, the report’s forward-looking narrative describes how major challenges and change factors in the modern world will affect ÔÇô and can be affected by ÔÇô water resources, services and related benefits. The report provides a comprehensive overview of major and emerging trends from around the world, with examples of how some of the trend’ related challenges have been addressed, their implications for policy’ makers, and further actions that can be taken by stakeholders and the international community.
As Botswana joins the world to celebrate the World Water Day, we call on all Batswana to pause and reflect on just what the water situation that we face as a nation really means for our existence as a people.
We call on Batswana to unite and come up with sustainable suggestions aimed at overcoming the challenges.
Already the Minister responsible for water has hinted at the possibility of increasing tariffs.
We are aware of what an emotive issue really is. We call on citizens to approach the matter with composure.
There are still many parts of this country where clean water remains a luxury.
Over the recent past doubts have been cast about the hygienic state of water in Botswana.
Those concerns, we want to point out have not been addressed ÔÇô at least not satisfactorily as demanded by science.
Our suspicions are that if those allegations are true, they may have a lot to do with the resource stresses experienced by the water utility.
To address such, it may be a foregone conclusion that the consumer will have to pay more for water as announced by the minister.
However way we look it, it is important that as we celebrate the World water Day this weekend, all of us remember water valuable resource water really is.
And for us here, what a scarce commodity it all of a sudden has become.
