NELSPRUIT – In light of the recent national media reports regarding water quality problems in the country, as well as increased numbers of local service-delivery protests, Lowvelder asked experts about what the most pertinent water problems in the region were.
This is what came to light:
• Pollution from municipal waste-water treatment works (WWTWs).
According to the Inkomati Catchment Management Agency (ICMA), the quality of some rivers is deteriorating due to high levels of E coli from partially treated waste-water discharge. Anything over 1 000 units of E coli per 100ml of water is considered a potential health risk.
• Wetland and riparian habitat removal.
• Poor forestry practices.
High manganese levels in the Crocodile River have been reported since 2013 which is probably due to increased sedimentation, said ICMA. Sampling was done from Mataffin to KaNyamazane.
• Continuous growth in domestic demand.
• Water loss due to ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure.
In some places, almost 70 per cent of water pumped for domestic use is lost before it reaches users. Buskbuckridge Water, which is responsible for the bulk supply to many rural areas, reported losses due to illegal connections along its main pipelines.
• Over- and undersupply. The accepted norm worldwide is 250l/person/day and Nelspruit residents receive 720l/person/day while Nsikazi South and KaBokweni often have no supply. The Ehlanzeni District Municipality has responded that its short and medium plan is to take water to communities via tankers.
• Blockages caused by building contractors and residents.
Sewerage blockages resulting in leaks are also often caused by discarded rubble and household rubbish.
• Lack of management and technical skills.
According to ICMA and the Crocodile River Forum (a collection of stakeholders working for the preservation of this resource), extensive experience, knowledge and skill are required to design and manage water and waste-water treatment plants and only qualified engineers and process controllers should be employed to be in charge of the thousands of such plants across the country.
Mr Mike Muller, a previous director general of water affairs and forestry said, “South Africa doesn’t have a water problem, we have a management issue.”
Viewing the problems of water pollution by municipalities:
Water-quality monitoring in the Lowveld is performed by the ICMA with a central objective to ensure that water is used to support equitable and sustainable social and economic transformation and development in South Africa. The agency draws its mandate from the National Water Act (No 36 of 1998).
• A compliance notice is issued where an institution fails to comply with the provisions of an environmental statute and is issued by the relevant monitoring-enforcement body within the department.
• A directive is issued where the actions of the institution cause pollution or other damage to the environment.
• It is a criminal offence to fail to abide by the above and can lead to a maximum fine of R5 million with regard to a notice and R10 million in the case of a directive. Imprisonment can also ensue.
The water and waste water management for the capital city, Nelspruit, is managed by an outside firm, Sembcorp Silulumanzi.
Sources: ICMA, Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Crocodile River Forum, AfriForum, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Department of Environmental Affairs
