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U3A OVERBERG: OPEN MEETING
DATE: 5 AUGUST 2010
TOPIC: THE SOUTH ARICAN WATER CRISIS
SPEAKER: PROF. NICK SEGAL
VENUE: OVERSTRAND MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
TIME: 19H00
Over 75% of
the earth’s surface is covered with water. However, only 1% of
that water is drinkable. Many countries are facing acute water
shortages. South Africa is no exception. We tend to forget that
as a whole South Africa is a very dry country – it is as dry as
the Oman desert in places.
International research shows that we have only three courses of
action: find new water, conserve and manage what we have and
recycle as much of so-called ‘waste water’ as possible.
Water
provision involves several important activities. Appropriate
sources need to be identified and infrastructure provided for
water storage. This is difficult in South Africa as many our
cities have grown up far from water sources. Even then the water
found often requires treatment before it can be distributed. The
conservation of waste water has a dismal record in South Africa.
Politicians, officials and the population at large need to be
educated in the conservation of water.
Each one of
these areas requires high level professional qualifications and
management skills. The present government has contributed to the
solution of this problem and in fact, in a significant minority
of towns and cities the provision of water is in the hands of
staff not professionally qualified for the job and/or is not
experienced managerially.
Luckily for
us our own municipality is not in this category. In a recent
‘Blue Drop’ report assessing the present state of water
management, the Overstrand averaged 66% for the quality of its 8
water schemes. ‘Blue Drop’ uses 10 different criteria and 26
sub-criteria to assess water quality. The best water management
internationally has an average of 95%. The water scheme at
Buffelsjag met 83% of the criteria and Hermanus 75%.
Tonight’s
lecture will analyse these challenges in greater detail and
propose a programme consisting of seven processes.
Nick Segal is an independent consultant and director of
companies and has had a diverse career in South Africa and
abroad. A chemical engineer and economist by academic
background, his career includes being director of the UCT
Graduate School of Business, director of South African mining
companies and president of the SA Chamber of Mines and senior
economist on India in the World Bank.
Nick has the following qualifications: BSc (Eng); PhD in
Physical Chemistry (Univ. of Witwatersrand); DPhil in Economics
(Nuffield College, Univ. of Oxford).
Admission:
Members: R10
Non-members: R25
In
addition, the U3A offers a number of Home Groups which deal with
specific subjects such as Art Appreciation, Current Affairs etc
For more information on these, please call Letitia Snyman on 028
3165170
MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES to LINDA HARRIS 028 3161252
U3A
OVERBERG: OPEN MEETING
DATE: 5 AUGUST 2010
TOPIC: THE SOUTH ARICAN WATER CRISIS
SPEAKER: PROF. NICK SEGAL
VENUE: OVERSTRAND MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
TIME: 19H00
Over 75% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. However,
only 1% of that water is drinkable. Many countries are facing
acute water shortages. South Africa is no exception. We tend to
forget that as a whole South Africa is a very dry country – it
is as dry as the Oman desert in places.
International research shows that we have only three courses of
action: find new water, conserve and manage what we have and
recycle as much of so-called ‘waste water’ as possible.
Water provision involves several important activities.
Appropriate sources need to be identified and infrastructure
provided for water storage. This is difficult in South Africa as
many our cities have grown up far from water sources. Even then
the water found often requires treatment before it can be
distributed. The conservation of waste water has a dismal record
in South Africa. Politicians, officials and the population at
large need to be educated in the conservation of water.
Each one of these areas requires high level professional
qualifications and management skills. The present government has
contributed to the solution of this problem and in fact, in a
significant minority of towns and cities the provision of water
is in the hands of staff not professionally qualified for the
job and/or is not experienced managerially.
Luckily for us our own municipality is not in this category. In
a recent ‘Blue Drop’ report assessing the present state of water
management, the Overstrand averaged 66% for the quality of its 8
water schemes. ‘Blue Drop’ uses 10 different criteria and 26
sub-criteria to assess water quality. The best water management
internationally has an average of 95%. The water scheme at
Buffelsjag met 83% of the criteria and Hermanus 75%.
Tonight’s lecture will analyse these challenges in greater
detail and propose a programme consisting of seven processes.
Nick Segal is an independent consultant and director of
companies and has had a diverse career in South Africa and
abroad. A chemical engineer and economist by academic
background, his career includes being director of the UCT
Graduate School of Business, director of South African mining
companies and president of the SA Chamber of Mines and senior
economist on India in the World Bank.
Nick has the following qualifications: BSc (Eng); PhD in
Physical Chemistry (Univ. of Witwatersrand); DPhil in Economics
(Nuffield College, Univ. of Oxford).
Admission:
Members: R10
Non-members: R25
MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES to LINDA HARRIS 028 31612522
The
University of the Third Age : Overberg was established in
August 2003 and held its first meeting on 18 September. During
2004 15 Open Meetings and many courses were held for the 450
members. The current membership exceeds 600 and the programme of
activities has grown exponentially. During 2010 the U3A will
offer eleven coursers averaging 6 sessions each on a variety of
subjects ranging from Victorian Britain; Finance & Economics;
Medicine and Age; Classical Music; Basic Computer Training;
Watching Sport and more.
It
will also offer nine one-off lectures on a wide spectrum. Some
examples -- The Zambezi Shark in the Breede River; Difference of
Minds in Girls and Boys; David Grier’s adventure on a paddle ski
from Mozambique to Madagascar and others.
Finally, the U3A arranges discussion groups which meet in
members’ homes and examine aspects such as Contemporary Books;
Art and Music Appreciation; Current Affairs; Mathematical
Literacy etc
Most
of the U3A : Overberg activities are held in the centrally
located hall of the Catholic Church. The group also has its own
extensive library with in excess of 150 DVD’s for the exclusive
use of its members.
Many
residents are under the mistaken impression that one cannot join
the U3A unless one is in retirement. That is not so. There is
no lower age limit We try and arrange a programme to cater
for young and old.
If
you are interested in joining please contact our
Membership Secretary (Linda Harris 028 3161252) for an
Application Form. The membership fee is R120 per person for the
current calendar year.
The
U3A : Overberg is administered by a Management Committee.
Members of that Committee for 2010 / 2011, together with their
areas of responsibility and contact details are:
|
Portfolio
|
Name
|
Tel. No.
|
|
Chair &
Programmes |
Allan
Powell |
028
3161251 |
|
Arts,
Programming & Library |
Barbara
Pretorius |
028
3121438 |
|
Venues &
Home Groups |
Letitia
Snyman |
028
3165170 |
|
Membership &Treasurer |
Linda
Harris |
028
3161252 |
|
Open
Meetings |
Penny
Charteris |
028
3162489 |
|
Publicity
|
Max
Leipold |
028
3124465 |
|
Programming, Films |
Robin Lee
|
028
3124072 |
|
