3.2 Water supply and water conservation

Geography

Grade 4

Resources and services within a settlement

Module 15

Water supply and water conservation

Water as a resource

Limited supply of water

Water – the smaller the supply of water, the bigger the problem!

To supply water to a city is not an easy task. The location of the first fort at the Cape was determined by the Vars River, because the building had to be erected where water was available. The river (that presently flows beneath Adderley Street in a pipe) is literally “a drop in the ocean” of what the Cape Metropole presently needs. The water for this vast urban area comes from a number of dams in the mountainous regions many kilometres from Cape Town.

To be ensure that water will always be available demands thorough planning – sometimes years ahead! A rapid influx of people will result in the fact that for a certain period there will not be sufficient water for urban use. This is a serious situation because human beings cannot survive without water.

Access to water

Do all South Africans have access to water daily?

Activity 1

To discuss this statement in your groups and propose ways to address the problems [lo 3.2, 3.3]

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Polluted water

Activity 2

To study the sketch and make a list of how people pollute fresh water daily [lo 3.1]

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Yes, even the wrappers of sweets that are carelessly discarded by people in the street, might eventually end up in a dam along with the rainwater, and therefore pollute our drinking water. We already know that only 3% of all water is suitable for drinking, and every time a part of that water is polluted, it must first be purified before we can drink it.

5. Water conservation

Activity 3

To make suggestions how to save water [lo 3.3]

• What percentage of the water on earth is fresh water and suitable for use by us? (Refer to the first page in module 14).

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• It should therefore be clear to you that we must use the water supply sparingly.

G roup work:

“Every drop is precious” is a well-known saying we often see on large posters. The aim is to encourage people to save water.

Suppose your group is the local government and you want to encourage the people of your town or city to save water. Think up a clever slogan to influence the people.

Work on your own. Think carefully and write down at least FIVE ways how to save water. Then discuss it with your partner and select the five best ideas from your contributions. Circle the numbers of your choices. Afterwards you will have the opportunity to read them to the class.

This is how we save water

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Assessment

Learning outcome 3: exploring issues

The learner will be able to make informed decisions about social and environmental issues and problems.

Assessment standard

We know this when the learner:

3.1 identifies issues associated with resources and services in a particular context;

3.2 identifies the factors that influence why some people have better access to resources compared to others in a particular context;

• suggests ways to improve access to resources in a particular context.

Memorandum

• Water for washing Chemicals
• Diesel Sewerage
• Rubbish Human waste

• 3%