Water, Sewage & Effluent July August 2018 | Page 9

Sunita Narain called for a paradigm
shift and a new system of water
economics that give the true cost of
supplying and also recycling “every
drop” of water.
Cape Town and South Africa and described
how Australia had overcome similar issues,
relying heavily on sewage as a resource.
• Interestingly, several people who have taken
part in research that was led by Global Water
Leaders Group (GWLY), have said that the
biggest cause of the Cape Town drought was
owing to the late investment in alternative
water resources.
• Indian environmentalist and political activist
Sunita Narain, during her final plenary session
at CTICC, explained in detail that while the
drought that the city of Cape Town endured is
bad, the ci ty is not alone in the world. She called
for a paradigm shift and a new system of water
economics that give the true cost of supplying
and also recycling “every drop” of water.
There were also a number of ‘feel good’ sessions
where projects were showcased. For example,
two once heavily polluted rivers on opposite
ends of Cape Town have been brought back to
life thanks to community volunteers who took
ownership of the problem and worked together
to fix it. The rivers are the Liesbeek River, which
begins life on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain
and flows from the Kirstenbosch Gardens to the
suburb of Observatory, and the Mosselbank River
at Fisantekraal.
Andrew Bennett, a researcher at the University
of Cape Town Future Water Department, said
during a session that the role played by so-called
communities of practice were key in what had been
achieved.
In the case of the Liesbeek River, a group of
concerned residents came together in 1991 to form
the Friends of the Liesbeek, with the goal of cleaning
up the then heavily polluted river. The group has had
some major successes, including bringing the highly
invasive purple loosestrife, which was discovered in
2009, under control. Today the Friends, supported by
funding from local business along the river’s route,
employs eight full-time workers to “look after and
maintain the river”, says Bennett, explaining that it
was a good example of a successful community of
practice at work.
The overall impression by delegates and
exhibitors alike was that while much was
discussed, there is still much more to do, and the
majority voiced looking forward to the next WISA
conference. u
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