Mail & Guardian reporter
The importance of conserving water and treating it with respect is vital to Rand Water’s corporate social responsibility programme, involving educational, hands-on projects that are fun and informative while turning children into “water-wise warriors” who share the message with communities.
Other important initiatives in the organisation’s corporate social responsibility programme include the Mnweni catchment area, which is one of the most important sources of water in South Africa, and supplies KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Gauteng, North West and the Northern Cape.
Through the Clean Water Challenge and Water Wise campaigns, Rand Water has identified an opportunity among disadvantaged youth to show their potential as community builders, sportspeople and thinkers. The objective of these initiatives is to acknowledge their natural talents and to provide them with encouragement and opportunities.
On the environmental front, Rand Water is an active participant in the Working for Water scheme, concentrating on removing foreign tree species from the upper catchment areas. Another important project was the rehabilitation of the Seekoeivlei Wetland, an area in the Free State that no longer followed its traditional drainage pattern because of the activities of farmers. The wetland has now been rebuilt and similar projects are under way in the Harrismith area.
Other industry players have formed partnerships with Rand Water that have created employment and improved the quality of life of local people. One of these communities is Bushbuckridge, where Rand Water was appointed an implementing agent by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry for three projects in the area, providing bulk water supply systems. Community involvement throughout all phases of the project was ensured by community representation on the project’s steering committee. Local emerging contractors were trained in skills such as business, contracting principles and tendering.
With the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, the organisation implemented the alien vegetation eradication project in the Krugersdorp and Elandsfontein areas. The project is aimed at promoting biodiversity by removing invasive plants that contribute to soil erosion and that destabilise river banks. The project has played a key role in alleviating poverty among the poor through creating employment opportunities. These include converting felled trees into firewood, creosote poles and other timber products.
The eco circle vegetable garden project is aimed at developing sustainable income-generating activities in the Winterveldt area. The Kromkuil community has formed a working group to develop a vegetable garden using specific methods of planting. It is anticipated that through the project the community will become self sufficient in food production and later in income generation.
In partnership with the Krugersdorp Council and the Gauteng Department of Education , a leak repair project was undertaken in Kagiso schools. A total of 27 schools were repaired. The aim is to reduce wastage and make water more affordable to schools. The council has reported record reduction in consumption. The implementation of the project was community driven with employment and training provided to the local residents.
The retail water operation has been developing the organisation’s capacity to provide retail water and sanitation services. A contract signed in March with the new Maluti-a-Phofung municipality, covering the area of the old Harrismith transitional local council, means Rand Water is responsible for operating water and waste services and revenue management. The department is still managing ODI Retail Water, the business unit providing water services in terms of the contract signed with the local authorities of the Mabopane, Winterveldt, Ga-Rankuwa councils and the Eastern District Council, which has been taken over by Tshwane Metro.
These and other initiatives mean that ever more communities have access to potable water.
For these efforts, Rand Water won the 2001 Corporate Award of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa in recognition of its commitment to conservation and to environment improvement, which includes its contribution to the establishment of the Rand Water/Mnweni Trust that creates employment and eradicates soil erosion in river catchments, wetland rehabilitation, eradication of alien plants from river catchments and environmental education programmes. Rand Water’s Water Living Campaign was a finalist in the water awareness category at the Green Trust Awards 2001.