7 September 2014
Government congratulates the eThekwini Metro for scooping the Stockholm Industry Water Award and Professor John Briscoe of South Africa for receiving the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize. Government is equally proud of the learners from Taxila Secondary School in Polokwane, Limpopo who were finalists, at the global conference, against other learners across the globe for inventing a method that uses sand filters to treat contaminated water and recover water for reuse.
eThekwini Water and Sanitation, serving the Durban metropolitan area, received the award for its transformative and inclusive approach to providing water and sanitation; and Professor Briscoe was awarded for his unparalleled contributions to global and local water management, and his unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people on the ground.
Acting GCIS CEO, Phumla Williams, said, “The fact that South Africa is the recipient of two of the three awards indicate that we are moving forward towards realizing a standard of excellence in access to clean water. Government is equally proud of the learners, who are from a South African public school. They focused on harvesting and purifying rain water to the level of consumption. Their initiative to address water related issues is an inspiration and an indication that South Africa’s learners are future leaders and experts that will play an instrumental role in addressing global challenges.”
Government encourages all municipalities to follow similar initiatives and endeavors to constantly seek ways of improving the quality of services offered to the public. The method used by eThekwini is an example that could be implemented in South African municipalities and communities across the world that face similar challenges,” said Williams.
The 2014 World Water Week, which closed on Friday, hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute emphasized the importance of water efficiency. The conference focused on the development and management of energy and water for the good of society and ecosystems at local, national, regional and global levels.
Enquiries:
Phumla Williams
Cell: 083 501 0139
Issued by: Government Communication and Information System
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp