Saving water is — or should be — at the top of every agenda in Nelson Mandela Bay right now — but the equally urgent conversation we need to be having is about securing our future water supply beyond the current looming crisis.

We all know the immediate priorities are addressing water leaks and reducing consumption. Homes and businesses need to urgently cut their water usage and implement whatever water-saving, rainwater harvesting and greywater re-use actions that they can; and the municipality needs to urgently catch up on the ever-growing backlog of water leaks...