Subscribe now

MARGARET FUTHANE moved house recently. Unimpressed? Well, read on. The story of Futhane and her country’s water could scarcely be a better advertisement for what sustainable development ought to be about.

Futhane moved out of her shack in the township of Tembisa, near Pretoria, where she’d had to buy a few litres of water of dubious quality from a neighbour each day, at a cost of $18 a month. Now she lives in a proper house with clean, running water, and her monthly water bill has fallen to less than $4 for as much as she wants. Millions in South…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop