Sandra Fisher heard the sound of running water in her Charleston, West Virginia, home on Monday for the first time in four days after a chemical leak fouled water supplies for hundreds of thousands of people.

The challenges with water as our life giving and most threatened resource, especially in Africa, continues to be one of our core focus areas of this year.

South Africa is one of the 30 driest countries in the world. It has an annual rainfall of just under 500 mm per annum, which is far below the global average of 860 mm. The country’s limited water resources are faced with challenges such as climate change and pollution.

You might remember my battles to convert our harmful saltwater pool into a natural pool last year. Well, I have finally succeeded.

When clean water flows freely from the taps in your home, it’s easy to take it for granted. But before water flows through pipes to reach cities and towns, it starts in nature.

The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, announced the 2013 winners of the Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Sector Awards in Joburg earlier this month.

Cape Town's disaster response teams remain activated as severe weather systems threaten heavy rainfall and flooding from Thursday night onwards.

WESSA continues to urge the Government to exercise the precautionary principle in the National Environmental Management Act (1998), which states the proponents of an activity must provide proof that it will not cause harm to the natural environment or people before the activity is allowed to go head.

According to study, inaction will lead to “major setback” in economic development and food security for the poorest people in Ghana, Burkina Faso and other countries in West Africa.

In a General Notice, published by the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Bomo Edna Molewa, dated 23 August 2013, there is a clear indication that the state intends to allow exploration for the purposes of shale gas production.

According to a recent study, the levels of human excrement and disease-causing pathogens in rivers around Stellenbosch are unacceptable and unsanitary.

Being more water-efficient and wise will help sustain our quality of life. It also means less money out of our pockets, as less available fresh water means rising costs.

Throughout southern Africa, freshwater ecosystems are under severe pressure with more than 80% of South Africa’s rivers being threatened. On International Biodiversity Day the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) urges all South Africans to celebrate this precious and scarce source of life and take urgent, personal action to preserve it.

The annual paddle event from the Indian to the Atlantic Oceans along Cape Town’s waterways takes place on 9th June. The aim of the annual paddle, joined this year by Riaan Manser, is to highlight the urgent need to deal with the social and environmental conditions of Cape Town’s inland waterways.

SA is a water scarce country and subject to both droughts and periodic floods. Over the last few months, various municipalities in South Africa have run out of water. Investments into water resource infrastructure are becoming increasingly important for the country.

“South Africa’s poor performance is mostly because of the environmental devastation caused by the overexploitation of our limited water supply,” says Harold Smook, founder of Urban Roots – Sustainable Communities Initiative and registered Professional Engineering Technologist.

As part of the lead up to and celebrations around National Water Week the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has expressed serious concerns about the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality’s proposed construction of an electrical waste water treatment plant in Groot Marico.

In celebrating World Water Day, a set of limited edition stamps have been issued to highlight and create awareness for the world’s most precious resource: water.

“A day like today is very important if you take into account the fact that 1.2 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. In South Africa, 1 out of every 5 children die because of a water-related illness.”

Green Office Week (GOW) reminds us that sustainability issues are top-of-the-agenda and whether your organisation is large or small, ‘green’ behaviours have to form a part of everyone’s work habits.