By Larry Crips
Since tropical cyclone Eloise made landfall in South Africa, the country has experienced an overflow of rain and with that came spilling dams and floods as well.
Dam levels in some parts have swelled, much to the relief of water stressed areas that were battling with diminishing water levels for months.
It is not so long ago Cape Town experienced the fear of the much dreaded “day zero” when dams were almost so dry that people could walk inside them.
The persistent drought a few years ago, was experienced in most parts of the country, as a result, many places were declared disaster areas. Farmers had to watch as their livestock perished due to lack of water and nutrition.
The tide has finally turned and water is in abundance wherever you look. People even joke the company that received the rain tender this year is over-performing in their duties.
What a pleasant sight to see water in abundance flowing in rivers and dams in the way that it should.
These sights should however, not breed complacency in the citizens of this beautiful nation.
If you know the feeling of being broke for a long time and you finally receive some money, will you not make sure that you do not experience being broke again?
The same sentiment should be shared when it comes to water.
Dams will not spill forever and rivers do run dry again. Water conservation should remain on top of our minds at all times.
The water is muddy in many catchments; this means that water service authorities have to work harder and up the chemical dosage in order for residents to receive clean water.
It is of the utmost importance that we should pay for the services we receive as without these payments many of these water services authorities will run out of funds to purchase the chemicals needed to clean the water as well as pay the staff that perform these duties.
All this should not take away our adventurous spirit as nature is calling. The spilling dams are truly a sight to behold and many do not get to experience this as it does not happen often.
Larry Crips is from the Department of Water and Sanitation, Free State.
The Star