Putting the National Development Plan into action means focusing on interventions that will have the greatest impact, building sustainable settlements with enough water is one such priority.
According to Dr Laetitia Coetser, associate partner and principal water and environmental scientist at SRK Consulting, the availability of water in South Africa’s municipalities will need to be prioritised as a critical enabler of future economic growth.
Speaking after attending the recent Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) conference in Durban, Dr Coetser highlighted that social upliftment and economic growth are inevitably constrained by water shortages.
“The growing demand for water – especially in our urban areas – calls for urgent and focused implementation of National Development Plan (NDP) imperatives,” she said.
“This includes the necessary spatial development to build sustainable and safe human settlements, towns and rural areas, as well as effective local government.”
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