As the world marks World Water Day today (March 22), entities such as the Kao mine recognize the importance of water.
Kao Mine’s Site Service Supervisor, Sefate Motseki says the mine gets water from the raw water dam called “sugar bowel” which is surface water, adding that the mine’s drinking water sources are subject to contamination and require appropriate treatment to remove disease-causing agents.
The process of Kao mine water treatment consists of stages which must be followed adherently as follows;
1.Coagulation and flocculation are the first steps in Kao mine water treatment. Chemicals with a positive charge are added to the water. The positive charge of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and other dissolved particles in the water. When this occurs, the particles bind with the chemicals and form larger particles, called floc
2.Sedimentation During sedimentation, floc settles to the bottom of the water supply, due to its weight. This settling process is called sedimentation.
3.Filtration Once the floc has settled to the bottom of the water supply, the raw water will pass through filters of varying compositions and pore sizes, in order to remove dissolved particles, such as dust, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and chemicals
4. Disinfection After the water has been filtered, a disinfectant (for example, chlorine, chloramine) is added in order to kill any remaining parasites, bacteria, and viruses, and to protect the water from germs when it is piped all around the mine as well as the Kao village.
International World Water Day is commemorated annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
It is a day to celebrate freshwater and was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.
The day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. Each year, UN-Water — the entity that coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation — sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge
The theme this year is “Leaving no one behind.” It is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal number six which calls for water for all by 2030, meaning, “leaving no one behind”.
This World Water Day is therefore about tackling the water crisis by addressing the reasons why so many people are being left behind.
