WE ARE FACING A WATER AND SANITATION CRISIS IN

David Raymer (Pr Eng)* Author and Johannes Buckle (Pr Eng)** *Uhambiso Consult (Pty) Ltd, Tel: 041 373 0180 Fax: 041 373 0102 email: [email protected] **Cobeng

South Africa is in the grip of a water and sanitation crisis. Ordinary citizens are taking municipalities to court, farmers are irrigating illegally and there is civil unrest across the country due to poor service delivery. Poor governance is the order of the day fed by political interferance, trade union demands, cronyism and bribery. As a result municipal councils are unable to make sound strategic decisions, control budgets, grasp critical financial processes and sustain water and sanitation services.

The quality and availability of raw water in many catchments is deteriorating. Impromptu housing development and mismanagement of sewerage treatment works is widespread. Many municipalities and utilities ignore water conservation and demand management. Nationally, bulk water and sanitation infrastructure have not been augmented for years and waterborne diseases like cholera are spreading due to increasing pollution of water sources.

The water and sanitation crisis demands immediate and decisive intervention. Political decision makers must respect the authority of experienced professionals. Water services managers must have autonomy to make decisions without political interference. Councillors must be capacitated to understand and grasp the budgets needed for the infrastructure to sustain water and sanitation services.

1. INTRODUCTION

South Africa has some of the most advanced legislation in the world, a fact that has been acknowledged at various international fora. We have (some would say "had") some of the most advanced infrastructure in Africa. Our dams, water transfer schemes, treatment and distribution systems outclass many countries – both in the developing and the developed world.

So, why do the authors believe that we have a water and sanitation crisis in South Africa that is becoming more evident by the day? • Ordinary citizens are taking municipal councils to court to obtain approval of the court to personally intervene and repair municipal infrastructure. (refer daily newspapers) • Acidic mine water is decanting all over dolomitic areas in Gauteng where legislation to care for the environment failed miserably. (refer daily newspapers) • Farmers along the Ash River irrigate illegally with very expensive water from the Lesotho Highlands water scheme – water being paid for by Gauteng domestic, industrial, commercial and related consumers and users – NOT by the irrigation farmers. This fact is partly to blame for the reason we now have to build infrastructure to the value of more than R30 billion to augment water supplies to Gauteng. (–Vaal River Studies DWE) • We read, on a daily basis in the newspapers of corruption in municipalities and civil unrest across the country because of poor service delivery. (9) • We read in engineering journals and financial periodicals about below-capacity, dilapidated waste water treatment works totally swamped by increasing flows and spilling sewage in built up areas and into rivers. The Kliprivierspruit in Johannesburg is a shining example. (1) (2) (3) (fix references)

Why are we in this situation? This is a critical question.

2. THE NEED FOR GOVERNANCE

Poor governance at all levels is one of the main causes of the water and sanitation crisis.

The standard for governance should be set by the president of the country to be replicated by the cabinet, government departments, provincial governments and finally down to local government.

2.1 Good governance Good governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision- making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)" The term governance can apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions between other sectors of society.

The concept of "good governance" often emerges as a model to compare ineffective economies or political bodies with viable economies and political bodies. Because the most "successful" governments in the contemporary world are liberal democratic states concentrated in Europe and the Americas, those countries' institutions often set the standards by which to compare other states' institutions. (4)

Good governance is therefore a government's ability to: • ensure political transparency and voice for all citizens, • provide efficient and effective public services, • promote the health and well-being of its citizens, and • create a favourable climate for stable economic growth. (4)

A myriad of examples of poor governance in South Africa are available to any researcher. (Could you give some that relate to water & sanitation?)

Manifestations of poor governance include: • Politically based decisions that ignore sound economic and technical advice; • Pressure by the trade unions; • Cronyism and bribery.

If one should do an internet search of "fraud in municipalities in South Africa", as the authors did, one is swamped by an avalanche of cases, and it appears that the rate of incidents is increasing. (Is there a definitive reference? Keywords on web = 125000 hits, SA = 20700 hits but not all of these are actual fraud cases and some report efforts to fix the problem)

2.2 Lack of Understanding and Knowledge by Municipal Councillors Before 1994 a typical municipal council consisted of lawyers, doctors, businessmen and persons who were experienced in their respective careers - people who were able to make decisions based on expertise and experience. Generally, most present councillors do not have the background or skills to make good strategic decisions and correctly determine priorities that promote sustainable service delivery. This manifests in:

• Lack of knowledge of legislation and regulations. • Wrong priorities (promises for votes instead of sustainable infrastructure) • Operation and maintenance budgets being cut (to pay for other priorities or unwarranted expenditure) • Vast amounts spent on functions, overseas travel, luxury vehicles, allowances, etc. • Little or no respect for the adjudication capabilities and recommendations of seasoned engineers and technical staff. • Very little or no communication by councillors at grass roots level with their constituents after election. • Non existent or poor credit control. • Little or no grasp of the critical financial principles and processes of municipalities

This lack of understanding of the functioning of a municipal system and the basics of service delivery by councillors and senior (non technical) managers has other impacts. For example tariffs are not based on economic principles in order to provide adequate income to balance expenditure.

Good governance cuts across the whole water and sanitation sector and spectrum of municipal service. There cannot be a sustainable water and sanitation service if municipal treasury staff do not read water meters, bill consumers properly, collect the revenue or enforce sound Council policies. Likewise if a human resources department is dysfunctional, the service will not acquire properly trained, competent and diligent employees.

2.3 Water Resource Management Quality and quantity of raw waters in catchments are deteriorating. This is due to increased development while sewerage treatment works are not being managed properly or upgraded despite government making the funds available. Impromptu housing development and mismanagement of sewerage treatment works is widespread. Land is often stripped of natural vegetation causing erosion, (filling up the limited amount of bulk water storage that is available in a few dams after years of resource development neglect by government) and allowing alien vegetation to establish.

There is an element of cover-up in government by withholding outcomes of investigations, refusing to release water quality reports, denial and the twisting of facts. Typical examples are the withholding by DWA of the Green Drop Report and the dismissal of Dr Anthony Turton by the CSIR for his paper. (5) In addition there is weak public accountability. (6)

Water is getting scarcer and there is a dire need to conserve water. Most municipalities and utilities do not actively pursue water conservation and demand management measures. Awareness and education amongst consumers and youth is of utmost importance.

The recent economic boom and the massive government programme to build state subsidized houses has led to a huge increase in water demand. Bulk water and sanitation infrastructure have not been augmented or rehabilitated to keep pace nor has sufficient long term planning been done.

2.4 Waterborne Diseases Periodic outbreaks of cholera occur in Kwazulu/Natal and the Eastern Cape with many deaths recorded. The following figure shows the spread of reported cholera cases over the world over the last fifty odd years.

Figure 1. The spread of cholera 1950-2004

The spread of cholera is directly related to pollution of water sources – pollution not originating from nature but through irresponsible human behaviour and exacerbated by climate change. (18)

3. THIS CRISIS MUST BE RESOLVED

Immediate and decisive intervention by government can resolve the water and sanitation crisis in South Africa. The consequence if the crisis is not tackled is that: water supplies to towns, cities would run out, pollution in rivers will increase, natural environment will be destroyed, waterborne diseases would spread, and ultimately the economy of the country will suffer.

Interventions required are:

• Retired engineers have been in the recent past been utilized by municipalities as mentors of young technologists and technicians who would otherwise not have been able to graduate. This speeds up service delivery. The initiative, initiated by Dr Allyson Lawless of SAICE Projects, has had positive results but also hit hindrances of procurement, hostile work environments and slow decision making. (7)

• It is essential that the water and sanitation services in municipalities are ring fenced and operated as a closed entity where decision making could be done in the best interest of the consumer and NOT of other entities.

• It is essential that poor governance of giving tenders for associates and family by government employees not be tolerated and acted upon in decisive manner.

• Water Managers must be given autonomy over their departments and political decision makers must not interfere. The authority of the experienced professional engineers, technologists and technicians regarding their guidance on matters technical, the appointment of professional staff as well as adjudication and recommendations relating to tenders must be respected.

• Service delivery in the water and sanitation sectors is something that should be driven by the technical cadre – professional engineers, technologists and technicians. The financial, human resources and procurement functions are there to assist the technical cadre in this and same must desist by dictating how this process should happen.

• Engineering expertise and positions are not management functions and to fill such positions with "managers" who does not have that expertise is folly.

4. CONCLUSION

• South Africa is facing a massive water and sanitation crisis that can only be resolved by immediate and decisive interventions.

• Water services management will only improve if good governance improves. Improving technical capacity and management is not sufficient unless governance improves.

• Mismanagement of South Africa’s water resources and factors such as infrastructure, capacity, services, the quality of water and climate change will send the country into economic and social turmoil. (8) (this could be stated earlier in the paper + some elaboration on how/why + brief except or quote (eg Muller) from the reference(s) – suggest add details to section 3)

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

• Water services managers must be given autonomy over their departments without political interference that detracts from achieving sound political, economic and technical solutions to the crisis.

• All levels of Government must strive to be open and transparent.

• Water and sanitation services must be ring-fenced.

• The professional technical cadre must be respected and afforded the necessary assistance from service providers such as finance, procurement and human resources.

• Councillors must be capacitated to grasp the function and importance of decision making, prioritizing and especially maintenance.

References (Consider using some/all of blue highlighted text to the main body as examples to justify various statements)

1. Durban is not facing a crisis - water boss - He (Neil Macleod) was responding to recent exposures in The Mercury and the television documentary Carte Blanche about potentially health-threatening levels of sewage pollution in several rivers, reportedly owing to a lack of maintenance or management problems at municipal waste-water treatment works. Pressed to comment on a weekend Carte Blanche investigation suggesting that more than a third of the country's waste-water treatment works required immediate maintenance to prevent a water pollution crisis comparable to the Eskom blackouts, Macleod said he could not comment on the situation facing other municipalities. – 5 February 2008. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20080205062318349C522343

2. Water pollution: South Africa's ticking time bomb... A South African lifeguard was killed in an attack by a tiger shark at the popular holiday resort of Port St. Johns This is only the second shark attack in this area - ever. A local historian warns that the heavy sewage runoff attracts the sharks. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/265918 - 14 December 2008

3. Action over sewage pollution 2009-06-02 18:01 - The Emfuleni municipality was interdicted from spilling raw sewage into the Vaal River by the High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The ruling came after SAVE, a non-governmental organisation aimed at protecting the Vaal River and its environs, took the municipality to court to stop it polluting the river, said SAVE chairperson Lotter Wepener in a statement. - http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/fbf656d9a154437496934 c1c5c0fe026/02-06-2009-06-01/Action_over_sewage_pollution

4. Good governance definition from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governance

5. The Big Leak, Fin Week, 1 October 2009

6. Mvula Trust Presentation to the Parliamentary Water Portfolio Committee on revisions to the Water Services Act, 1998, 13 August 2008

7. The South African Institution of Civil Engineering's (SAICE) latest publication 'Numbers & Needs in local government: Civil engineering the critical profession for service delivery' by Allyson Lawless

8. Misgivings linger about government's capacity to avert water crisis, Brindaveni Naidoo, 20th March 2009. Creamer Media Reporter, Engineering News. http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/cover-2009-03-20

9 Mayor, wife and 17 others on graft counts – The Star 10 November 2009. The former mayor of Mangaung, his wife and the 17 others are accused of 259 charges which include racketeering, fraud, theft and corruption involving a total of R130 million.

10. E-coli count 'immeasurable' - Madibeng Municipality in Brits, North West, could be prosecuted over untreated sewage being pumped into the Crocodile River, officials said on Thursday. – 3 April 2009 - http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/503b22e1c88342aab2a8 5a86a2c6b91e/03-04-2009-08-03/E-coli_count_immeasurable

11. Sewage spilt in Vaal for 12 yrs - 2008-12-11 20:38 - The Gauteng provincial department of local government are initiating various plans to effectively tackle its sewage system and waste water treatment plant, MEC Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu announced on Thursday. Megalitres of raw sewage was pumped into the Vaal River earlier this month by the Emfuleni Municipality. The sewage spillage caused thousands of fish to die as it hindered oxygen supply in the river and also affected other wildlife in the Vaal area. http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/23920eb875a745c58340 25b613df12b5/11-12-2008-08-38/Sewage_spilt_in_Vaal_for_12_yrs

12. Africa: Cholera, Climate Change and El Nino, 7 October 2009 http://allafrica.com/stories/200910071218.html

13. Efficient use is the only way to beat scarcity – Barbara Schreiner – Pegasys Strategy and development – The Star 10 November 2009. "The sad reality is that water services are degenerating in most municipalities due to decades of underinvestment in maintenance and refurbishment and severe understaffing" "Poor payment for services and increasing consumer bad debt is not helping either. The result is increasing water wastage through leaks and bursts, interrupted supply and increasing river pollution from municipal waste water works." "Equally municipal decision makers (political and administrative) need to realize the short-sightedness of postponing water infrastructure maintenance and refurbishment in the context of water scarcity – let alone how much waste water is costing them."

14. DA: Statement by Annette Lovemore, Democratic Alliance Shadow Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, calling for the Green Drop report to be made public (26/01/2010) Published 26 Jan 2010 Article by: Creamer Media Reporter http://www.polity.org.za/article/da-statement-by-annette-lovemore-democratic- alliance-shadow-deputy-minister-of-water-and-environmental-affairs-calling-for- the-green-drop-report-to-be-made-public-26012010-2010-01-26

15. The country's water demand will exceed supply by 2025 according to Consulting Engineers SA (CESA), 4February 2010

http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article291991.ece 16. Water: Our future is evaporating - The looming water crisis will dwarf SA's power problems, writes Anthony Turton, Jan 25, 2010. The Big Read: Much is being said about water in South Africa, but few seem to actually understand the issue. The simple fact is that South Africa is water-constrained. Our energy challenge is driven by water availability, not coal.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/article277178.ece

17. Mining: Disaster looms Jan 25, 2010 by MJ42morro, by e-mail

With 34billion tons of coal underground, waiting to be exploited through greed, short-sightedness and corrupt officialdom, South Africa will have depleted most of its coal reserves by 2040.

That is a mere 30 years away for those of us who care enough to think about the future. Add to this frightening reality the fact that in the coal-mining process, productive arable land will be laid to waste and our water supply polluted. If only we had an honourable government, leaders genuinely concerned about issues, both present and future, such as feeding the nation, improving the air that we breathe and researching alternative power-sources including solar and wind power, which do not poison our land and our air such as coal-mining and coal-burning do. http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/letters/article277184.ece

18. Working Group II and III, Synthesis Report, IPCC, 2007