It is about consumption.
Ignorance about the hidden water used in the bottled water industry, for example, is bound to hasten the looming disaster, as Zille proposes that SAB bottle 12 million litres of water to help address the water crisis in Cape Town.
Ironically, this will waste even more water, as we in effect will be polluting and using 96 million litres of water in production of the 12 million litres.
It takes seven to eight litres to make every litre of bottled water.
So essentially eight litres of clean water is wasted through the manufacture of the plastic bottles, and not only that – there is pollution of water in the process.
The real solution lies not in bottling but rather in getting people to provide their own storage containers and provide stations for people to fill.
The issue cuts deeper into consumption, too.
The International Water Explorer Programme has just been launched in the Western Cape; it is not a luxury add-on education programme but rather an emergency intervention strategy.
Any school or eco-club can participate in the programme for free by signing up: www.waterexplorer.org.
Bridget Ringdahl Water Explorer Programme Manager