Awareness and Communication Strategy CHAPTER 7. WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT 7.1 Strategic Objectives SADC is a water stress area, yet water is a critical element in its development efforts. Every drop, therefore, matters and should be used sparingly without wasting. Water demand management is, therefore, critical tool in this regards and its dissemination and communication should have strategic objectives that include: - a) To create awareness and orient the focus of Members States towards Water Demand Management (WDM) through the creation of a legal and regulatory environment that balances water demand and supply to minimise water losses and maximise the benefits from the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater; b) To improve awareness and create commitment of all water users in implementing possible options for minimising water losses, encouraging efficient utilisation and creating an environment that promotes investment in water saving technologies and infrastructure; and c) To communicate best practices on WDM to policy makers, government officials, NGOs, water users and other key stakeholders. 7.2 Key Message Areas 7.2.1 Legal and Regulatory Framework Communicate that Southern Africa needs to create a legal and regulatory environment that mainstream WDM in water resources development and management, and implement all the provisions in the guiding and binding instruments. To who: Policy makers and funding agencies including Ministries of Finance, International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) and financial institutions How: Mass media, workshop, presentations to non-water sectors, dialogues such as the SADC Multi-stakeholder dialogue and personalities/speakers. Although many countries within SADC face water stress situations, there is water wastage in irrigation schemes, water supply schemes and other water uses since WDM is still not well enshrined in the policies and regulations of the countries. Member States still use irrigation methods such as flooding with water efficiency as low as 40%, operate water supply schemes that have leakages and high unaccounted-for water losses. As a result, more water supplies are further developed to meet the demand in the presence of such avoidable water losses. Members States, therefore, need to urgently mainstream WDM in social and economic development processes through the national water policies and legislation. The policy and legal reforms should incorporate WDM in the legal instruments for efficient water use and allocation. Programmes should be developed and implemented to encourage and promote WDM strategies and interventions. Page 31