With South Africa losing more than R7 billion worth of water annually due to leaking taps and pipes, government is embarking on a massive drive to curb the problem.

President Jacob Zuma, along with a delegation of Ministers and MECs officially launched the War on Water Leaks programme, in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

The campaign is designed to train 15 000 young people to fix leaking taps in their communities. There will also be those who will be trained to identify aged infrastructure which is also being blamed for the problem.

The President kick-started the campaign in the Zwide Township and it’s expected to be rolled out throughout the country.

He said a long-term national water plan was needed to address future needs of water and sanitation.

“I said to the Minister we need a clear plan that government will commit on to save water,” President Zuma said to the scores of people who came to listen to him at Dan Qeqe stadium.

He said the War on Water Leaks programme will enable government to provide training opportunities to unemployed young people who can be trained as water agents.

“They will be responsible for visiting communities to investigate water leaks and teach people to save water.

“We will also train plumbers who will assist to do a number of things such as reducing water losses and repairing the sources of the leaks,” he said.

Those who qualify include young people with Grade 12 or N3 with Maths and Science as fitters and turners, welders, instrument mechanics and electricians. They will do repairs, retrofitting and replacements.

“Our key message to you today is that we must save water. Water is not unlimited. If we do not look after it, we will lose it.”

During the campaign, young people will be trained in three phases. Phase 1 will see 3 000 trained in the 2015/16 financial year, 5 000 in Phase 2 in 2016/17 and 7000 in phase 3 in the 2017/18 financial year. About R680 million has been budgeted in the current financial year.