Skip to content

NBI COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Water Stewardship

Short-term water impacts such as drought tend to be top of mind for the media, government and public in South Africa. However, while droughts and floods are important short-term risks, there are more critical systemic issues in the water sector that need to be addressed to ensure long-term sustainability of supply in South Africa. These systemic issues include:

  • Municipal water supply challenges (driven by infrastructure and institutional capacity issues)
  • Water cost increases, in part in response to poor asset management and inadequate revenue collection, but also to address future infrastructure needs
  • The need for integrated and long-term strategic planning of human settlements, water resource management and water services
  • Declining water quality (with a resultant increase in the need for dilution and associated higher treatment costs)
  • Potential regulatory incoherence in water licencing; and
  • Complex water institutions with potentially conflicting objectives

As a result of these systemic issues, many of the key water risks facing industry cannot be adequately solved through company operational measures. An effective response to these risks therefore involves the concept of water stewardship, a process whereby companies work collaboratively with other partners to manage shared water resources. Water stewardship is therefore an important component to mitigating corporate water risk and facilitating business growth.

Since 2014, the NBI has run a number of workshops, seminars and events focused on water stewardship, with an emphasis on building understanding of water stewardship approaches and best practices. The NBI has also begun to actively work to facilitate new collective action projects on water in South Africa, as well as formed a partnership with the CEO Water Mandate to advance water stewardship practice across Southern Africa.

Partnering for Water Stewardship Workshop December 2014

Water Stewardship introduction

Water Stewardship introduction

View
The business case for corporate water stewardship

The business case for corporate water stewardship

View
Collective Business Case - SWPN

Collective Business Case - SWPN

View
Sasol contribution to NBI

Sasol contribution to NBI

View
Programme - Water Stewardship Partnerships

Programme - Water Stewardship Partnerships

View
Partnership for Water Stewardship

Partnership for Water Stewardship

View

Two Day Regional Conference on Water Stewardship, October 2015

SAB hops farmers in George, Western Cape

SAB hops farmers in George, Western Cape

View
Collective action in flower farming Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Collective action in flower farming Lake Naivasha, Kenya

View
Promotion of sustainable water management in River Rwizi

Promotion of sustainable water management in River Rwizi

View
Funding of Large Projects

Funding of Large Projects

View
from ideas to implementation to innovation

from ideas to implementation to innovation

View
Water Action Hub 2.0

Water Action Hub 2.0

View
The NBI and Water Stewardship

The NBI and Water Stewardship

View
A Treasury Perspective

A Treasury Perspective

View
Implementation of the AWS Standard

Implementation of the AWS Standard

View
From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

View
Risk Assessment Tool for Municipalities

Risk Assessment Tool for Municipalities

View
War on Leaks

War on Leaks

View
Partnership for Risk and Resilience

Partnership for Risk and Resilience

View
From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

View
From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

From Ideas to Implementation to Innovation

View
Lessons Learnt SWPN Conference

Lessons Learnt SWPN Conference

View
Water Risk & Action Framework

Water Risk & Action Framework

View
Strategic Water Partnerships for Development

Strategic Water Partnerships for Development

View
Somarela Thothi Project

Somarela Thothi Project

View

NBI and WBCSD Water Week, March 2016

WBCSD & NBI Water Week

WBCSD & NBI Water Week

View

Sustainable Water Seminar, June 2015

Water Scarcity Business

Water Scarcity Business

View