The institution, which has been on a water emergency and sustainability drive, will be part of a conversation organized by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber on water initiatives by local organisation on Wednesday, 18 August 2021.
Given by Economics Associate Professor, Syden Mishi, and Dr Godfred Anakpo, the presentation will focus on the bahavioural response to water saving and exploring way of creating and sustaining social norms for water conservation.
“We need to understand what drives human behavior. It cannot be taken for granted that making people aware of a problem and of a solution, that that would translate into the desired action,” Prof Mishi posits.
Also part of the conversation are local businesses, who are also member companies of the Business Chamber, which are taking a lead in implementing innovative water saving initiatives in their daily operations.
Despite the recent heavy rains that showered the Bay in the last few weeks, there has been no significant run to the catchment areas to increase the volume in the dams. As of 11 August 2021, the combined dam levels were 10.60%.
The University is currently on a water emergency and sustainability drive to address the Bay’s looming water crisis. Projections are, the University’s four Summerstrand campuses and the Bird Street Campus in Central could be without water from the end of September 2021 or earlier.
The institutional water management and risk mitigation plan has been accelerated, with plans upscaled from June last year and well into the implementation phase.
In preparation for the water shortage, the University is increasing the storage capacity of critical buildings and residences that do not have emergency water reserves, among a host of other initiatives.
Like other concerned entities, Mandela University is doing all it can to ensure that its main stakeholders – students and staff – will continue to enjoy a supply of water come Day Zero.
The University is also part of a Water Emergency Management Team, which comprises water scientists and technical support staff, which works closely with the Municipal Disaster Management Command Centre and the Business Chamber’s Water Task Teams.
The institution’s emergency management measures are being implemented along with a comprehensive water awareness campaign to bring students and staff on board, and ensure they actively assist in reducing water consumption on campus and curtail any water wastage.