PERCEPTIONS OF RESIDENTS OF HARTENBOS REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE WATER QUALITY OF THE HARTENBOS RIVER by JUAN TERBLANCHE A short-dissertation submitted in part-fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER ARTIUM in ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT in the FACULTY OF HUMANITIES at the UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG (Kingsway Campus) Supervisor: DR P. J. WOLFAARDT JULY 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS P ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v LIST OF FIGURES vi LIST OF TABLES viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT 2 1.4 STUDY AREA 3 1.4.1 The Town of Hartenbos 4 1.4.2 Hartenbos River 5 1.4.3 Physical Environmental Factors influencing the Hartenbos River 6 1.4.4 Municipal Land Use Characteristics 8 1.5 RESEARCH DESIGN 11 1.6 CONCLUSION 11 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 13 2.1 INTRODUCTION 13 2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTIONS 13 2.3 QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY 14 ii 2.4 WATER AVAILABILITY 15 2.5 WATER QUALITY AND GUIDELINES 16 2.5.1 Water Quality 16 2.5.2 Water Quality Guidelines 18 2.6 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 18 2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 19 2.8 CONCLUSION 20 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGIES 22 3.1 INTRODUCTION 22 3.2 DATA COLLECTION 22 3.2.1 Water Quality Parameters and Guidelines 22 3.2.2 Water Quality Data Analysis 23 3.2.3 Questionnaire Survey 24 3.3 CONCLUSION 25 CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS AND RESULTS 26 4.1 INTRODUCTION 26 4.2 COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS OF HARTENBOS 26 4.3 RESPONDENTS’ OPINION REGARDING THE WATER QUALITY OF THE HARTENBOS RIVER 30 4.4 OPINION OF RESPONDENTS WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF HARTENBOS FOR 15 YEARS OR MORE, OR THOSE WHO HAVE AN UNIVERSITY DEGREE 36 4.5 STATE OF THE HARTENBOS RIVER’S WATER QUALITY 41 4.5.1 Sampling Sites 41 4.5.2 Measured Water Quality Conditions 42 iii 4.6 CONCLUSION 51 CHAPTER FIVE: SYNTHESIS 53 5.1 INTRODUCTION 53 5.2 EVALUATION OF THE PROBLEM STATEMENT 53 5.3 EVALUATION OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW 54 5.4 EVALUATION OF THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 55 5.5 EVALUATION OF THE DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS 55 5.6 RECOMMENDATIONS 57 5.8 CONCLUSION 59 BIBLIOGRAPHY 60 APPENDIX A 65 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1. My God; 2. My Parents for their prayers, love, inspiration and providing me ambition, courage and an tertiary education; and my brother André for his prayers, love and inspiration; 3. Dr. P.J. Wolfaardt, my study leader, for his expert opinion, guidance and support of my research; 4. Prof. J.T. Harmse, for his support and guidance with the analysing of the water quality results of this research; 5. Staff of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in Belville, for providing me with analysed data from the collected water samples of the Hartenbos River; 6. The Chairlady of the Hartenbos River Forum Mrs. T. Schonken and members of the Hartenbos River Forum for their support; 7. Adam Martin of STATKON, for statistically analysing the water quality results of the Hartenbos River; and 8. The community of Hartenbos, my researched population, for their hospitality, support and participitation. v LIST OF FIGURES p Figure 1: Location of Hartenbos in the Republic of South Africa 3 Figure 2: A regional locality map of Hartenbos and the Hartenbos River 4 Figure 3: The lower reaches and estuary of the Hartenbos River 5 Figure 4: The town of Hartenbos and Hartenbos River 9 Figure 5: The Hydrological Cycle 15 Figure 6: Age groups of respondents 26 Figure 7: Highest qualification achieved by respondents 27 Figure 8: Occupational classification of respondents 27 Figure 9: The duration respondents have been residents in Hartenbos 28 Figure 10: Time duration respondents spend on the specific property 29 Figure 11: Average number of visits to the Hartenbos River 29 Figure 12: The state of the water quality before the flood of 14 January according to respondents 30 Figure 13: The state of the water quality after the flood of 14 January according to respondents 31 Figure 14: Motivation for respondents’ opinion regarding the water quality of the Hartenbos River before and after the flood of 14 January 2005 32 Figure 15: Respondents opinion whether there is a problem with the water quality of the Hartenbos River or not 32 Figure 16: Motivation for respondents who believe that there is a problem with the water quality of the Hartenbos River 33 Figure 17: The source/s of the water quality problem according to respondents 34 Figure 18: Solution/s to the water quality problem according to all respondents 35 Figure 19: State of the water quality of the Hartenbos River before the flood of 14 January 2005 according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years or more, or respondents who have an university degree 36 vi Figure 20: State of the water quality of the Hartenbos River after the flood of 14 January 2005 according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years and more or respondents who have an university degree 37 Figure 21: Motivation based on water quality conditions before and after the flood of 14 January 2005 according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years and more or respondents who have an university degree 37 Figure 22: The percentage of respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years or more or who have a university degree who thinks there is a problem regarding the water quality of the Hartenbos River. 38 Figure 23: Factors that causes the problem/s with the water quality of the Hartenbos River according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years and more or who have an university degree 38 Figure 24: Sources that causes the degradation of the water quality of the Hartenbos River according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years and more or who have an university degree 39 Figure 25: Possible solutions to the problem of water quality degradation according to respondents who have been residents of Hartenbos for 15 years and more or who have an university degree 40 Figure 26: Location of the nine sampling points 41 Figure 27: Ammonia levels for all sampling points 43 Figure 28: Chloride levels for all sampling points 44 Figure 29: The Electrical Conductivity levels for all sampling points 45 Figure 30: Fluoride levels for all sampling points 46 Figure 31: Magnesium levels for all sampling points 47 Figure 32: Nitrate levels for all sampling points 48 Figure 33: pH levels for all sampling points 49 Figure 34: Phosphorus levels for all sampling points 50 Figure 35: Sulphate levels for all sampling points 51 vii LIST OF TABLES p Table 1: Major Categories of Water Pollution 17 viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Having a perception about the water quality of a river can determine its usefulness, as a supply of water and also for recreational purposes. If it is determined that the river water is in a poor state, then it can have an impact on the community’s health, the economy of a settlement, as well as the natural environment along the course of the river. The main aim of this research is to determine what the community of Hartenbos’ opinion is concerning the water quality of the Hartenbos River and what is the true state of the water quality of the Hartenbos River? This could seem as a positive or negative influence on sustainable development and environmental conservation. The town of Hartenbos and the Hartenbos River is situated on the Southern Cape Coast in the Western Cape Province. A questionnaire survey, employing a stratified random sample method, is conducted during the month of April 2005. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Belville) obtain water quality variables from nine sampling points. The results are analysed for a ten-year period (1994-2004) by STATKON, an independent statistical consultant based at the University of Johannesburg (Kingsway Campus). Analysis methods include a repeated measure of variance (ANOVA) and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. These results are compared with the South African Water Quality Guidelines for domestic, recreational and agricultural (irrigation and livestock watering) use. The results show that the state of the water quality of the Hartenbos River is in a good condition and thus acceptable within the modern urban environment. The researched population mainly disagrees with this statement. According to the opinion of the research population, the water quality is in a poor condition, thus unacceptable within the modern urban environment. According to them, human activities within the river and its catchment and poor management are to be blamed. Although the opinion of the research population is genuine and rightful, the opinion is overruled by the water quality results. Economic development such as tourism and residential development will improve the local economy. The local community’s opinion can alter new developments because of their perception regarding the water quality of the Hartenbos River. How the local community’s opinion compare with actual scientific information, will determine its value or correctness and thus, the positive or negative impact on economic development. The state of water quality and the ecosystem must be maintained. An appropriate environmental management plan and enforcement of existing laws will ensure harmony between any existing or future economic development and the conservation of the Hartenbos River. The Hartenbos River with all its functional and aesthetic properties has to be conserved for generations to come. ix Dedicated to my Mother and Father x CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1.1 INTRODUCTION Human activities, development and intervention can cause major concerns regarding the state of the water quality of rivers.