Water is without a doubt the most important resource on earth, a source of life for living organisms. Water is an important indicator of socio-economic development of almost every nation in the world, in simple terms “water is indeed, represents the wealth of a nation”. South African scientists have found the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in local samples which the WHO just declared, the most transmissible Omicron variant yet to haunt us.
The world has just ushered in the year 2023, yet many in other countries, however had to celebrate in partial confinement, due to the most recent outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2. The festive season has passed and we are still busy picking up the pieces of a world at war with itself and a people, still fighting inequalities in 2023. Many people across the globe, particularly in Asia, travel to various international destinations during the peak times of year and South Africa has committed to not impose any restrictions on travellers coming from high-risk countries such as China. Still, post the season of celebrations, the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic has started to worsen in China and the number of “recorded and disclosed” cases have risen immensely in the past weeks. The hospitals are overflowing with ill patients and the frustration is taking over more and more, by the day.
Safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are a crucial part of preventive interventions that protect human health during infectious disease outbreaks, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most cost-effective strategies for increasing pandemic preparedness, especially in resource-constrained settings, is investing in core essential infrastructure, e.g. water and sanitation systems. Due to the increase demand in water and the increased power constraints the per capita water demand along with expenditure is significantly increasing.
A major section of the rural population spends a considerable amount of time in a day to obtain and fulfil their daily water needs via alternative sources of water in this time of dire need. And then we have the climate change effects, environmental degradation and ground water pollution. Semi-arid countries like South Africa that suffer from droughts show less groundwater recharge leading to the reduced availability of safe drinking water. The necessity of proper water management and infrastructure implementation is the main driver that will help meet the increasing and changing demand on an urgent matter that requires the immediate attention of industry, government and communities at large.
MEB can assist with the prevention of diseases by implementing robust water solutions that provide clean water which is essential in preventing the outbreaks of diseases. Want to know more about our solutions? Our experts are ready to answer any of your questions – Make 2023 meaningful and send us your request