Johannesburg Water has entered into a partnership with Borehole Water Association (BWA) to encourage the city’s residents to switch to borehole water to mitigate the crippling drought.

The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on earlier this week at the launch of a city-wide campaign to encourage residents, particularly those living in affluent areas, to consider boreholes as an alternative water supply source.

The MoU was signed by Johannesburg Water’s Managing Director, Lungile Dhlamini, and BWA chairman Collin Rice.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, who witnessed the signing, made a clarion call to residents to save water, especially in the wake of the severe drought facing the city and the country.

“We’re a water-scarce country and everyone has a responsibility to save this scarce resource,” she said.

“Boreholes are a component of the water mix the City is exploring. This includes harvesting ground and rain water and recycling [it]. We’re looking at innovative ways to save water. So we encourage you to work with us. Check if you can drill a borehole on your property,” MMC Mfikoe said, adding that 10 of the city’s most affluent areas had been identified as being ideal for the sinking of boreholes.

South African’s use the most water in world

Drilling a borehole can cost anything between R30 000 and R50 000, according to experts. Dhlamini said already there were 13 500 boreholes in Johannesburg. The drought had resulted in the growth in demand, he said.

Parks, golf clubs, schools, churches and office parks were among those that would be encouraged to sink boreholes on their properties. Dhlamini said water in Johannesburg was expensive because some of it was imported from Lesotho. South Africans on average used the most water in the world, he said.

“The world average is 175l per person per day. The South African average is 235l per person per day, while in Johannesburg its 300l per person per day,” Dhlamini said, adding that this was unsustainable.

“We need to educate people about water conservation. We need behavioural change to deal with the increasing demand for water,” he said.

–Joburg.org.za