Report of the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry of Public Hearings on Water Quality and Security in South Africa held on 20, 21 July and 7 August 2006 - Towards a Joint Action Plan to Improve Water Quality for South Africans, dated 30 August 2006:

1. Introduction

Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water, usually in respect to its suitability for an intended purpose. These characteristics are controlled or influenced by substances either dissolved or suspended in water. Water quality is changed and affected by both natural processes and human activities. Generally, natural water quality varies from place to place, depending on seasonal changes, climatic changes and with the types of soils, rocks and surfaces through which it moves. A variety of human activities, for example, agricultural activities, urban and industrial development, mining and recreation, may significantly alter the quality of natural waters, and changes the water use potential. According to information supplied by the Department of Water Affairs (DWAF)1, the key to:

Sustainable water resources is, therefore to ensure that the quality of water resources are suitable for their intended uses, while at the same time allowing them to be used and developed to a certain extent. Effective management is the tool through which this is achieved. Water quality management, therefore involves the maintenance of the fitness for use of water resources on a sustained basis, by achieving a balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection. From a regulatory point of view, the ‘business’ of water quality management entails the ongoing process of planning, development, implementation and administration of water quality management policy, the authorisation of water uses that may have, or may potentially have, an impact on water quality, as well as the monitoring and auditing of the aforementioned.

South Africa has put in place various mechanisms to ensure the prioritisation of water quality and water security. The legislative framework and policy requires the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, and her Department, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), to undertake the following:

(a) Establishing national monitoring systems for water resources;

(b) Collecting appropriate data and information that is necessary to assess the

quantity, quality and use of water in water resources; and

(c) Complying with resource quality objectives.

Water resource management, including water quality management, is an exclusive national competency. Due to the extent and multiplicity of the management functions associated with water quality management, it is no longer considered to be the sole obligation of a single authority, but is now increasingly the responsibility of all levels of the community, including industry, local government as well as individual water users.

Water quality management is governed and/or influenced by a hierarchical suite of environmental legislation, ranging from:

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* South Africa's water resource management related international obligations, of which Agenda 21 is a prominent example.
* The South African Constitution, 1996 (Act No.108 of 1996), constituting the supreme law of the Country and guaranteeing the rights of all people in South Africa.
* Framework environmental legislation, such as the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 (Act No.107 of 1998), which had principally been promulgated to enact Sections 24, (environmental rights) and 41 (containing provisions on co-operative governance) of the Constitution.
Sectoral environmental legislation, of which the National Water Act (NWA), 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998) is the most prominent example.

As part of its oversight function, and to contextualise water quality and security to the lived realities of South Africa’s populace, the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry undertook public hearings in June and August 2006.Various stakeholders, ranging from Governmental to Non-Governmental Organisations presented overviews and specifics of the current situation in relation to water quality and security in South Africa. These inputs ranged from policy and legislative environmental goals with regard to surface and groundwater, protection, partnerships between Government and communities, dam safety and security to research, technology transfer, technical assistance, health and education plans on water quality to water quality in rural areas.

2. Oral and Written Submissions2

Oral

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) indicated that there were discrepancies in the quality of drinking water. The challenges, noted by DWAF included a lack of understanding of the requirements of Water Quality Management Systems (WQMS), and inadequate interventions. Raw surface water and groundwater were compromised by a variety of factors, including mining, industry and farming. The legislative framework, in respect to water quality was summarised.

Emanti, a Water and Environmental Engineering Services, summarised the importance of WQMS, and the various ways in which effective and sustainable water management would be assisted. It outlined the Free State Water Quality Management case study, highlighting the supportive intervention approach. The presentation further argued that water service authorities often under budgeted for water quality issues, resulting in a poor understanding of water and sanitation matters, and water safety issues.

The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) summarised the scope and impact of their research and noted some of the programmes undertaken. Their resources and capacity were summarised, together with the ways in which they assisted DWAF, and other projects.

The Water Research Commission (WRC) funded and outsourced research on all aspects of water. Research had shown that urban water quality was good, but rural water quality posed problems. Most of the problems emanated from insufficient management, operational staff skills, monitoring and funding. The WRC recommended the establishment of expert teams in each Province, the establishment of management and technology assistance centres, improving salaries and conditions of operational staff, as well as the implementation of DWAF’s WQMS.

The Environmental Monitoring Group, in focusing on water security, summarised the issues around the WCD Report, ‘Dams and Development’. In expanding on issues of water security, the presenter focused on existing dams and their impact on social issues, with a view to exploring and implementing mechanisms for recognising entitlement and sharing benefits for new dams. Another area noted was the enhancing of governance of water and energy resources development. Finally, the focus was placed on the promotion of river health and sustainable environments. An additional priority was promoting regional good governance on water quality and water security.

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) summarised the challenges faced by Local Government and Water Service Authorities (WSAs), with regard to drinking water quality. It was noted that there was a lack of understanding of the legislation, drinking water quality standards, and effective water management. Sufficient standards had been set, but Local Government required support in order to establish and maintain the correct systems to meet the standards. The monitoring systems used in the Free State were summarised. SALGA recommended increasing the profile of WQMS, creating awareness of implementation of assessments, consultative audits and interventions by DWAF.

The Department of Education summarised the areas of the National Curriculum Statement dealing with the issue of water and human settlements. It was noted that the way in which the assessment standards had been drawn provided for a wide interpretation of applications. The Department of Education provided information on the manner in which the quality of water is being addressed in the sector. Within the education sector, for example, the issue of water quality, environment and conservation was incorporated for learners.

The Departments of Agriculture and of Land Affairs reported that their aim of leading and supporting sustainable agriculture and promoting rural development could be achieved through equitable access, improving competitiveness and better resource management. The agricultural support programmes and the challenges to agrarian water were summarised. The aforementioned Departments recommended changes to the allocations and pricing and suggested better quality measures. The Department of Agriculture stressed the importance of water quality for the economic sustainability of domestic and international agricultural production.

Rand Water reported on its current activities and scope, and its commitment and contribution to water provision. It summarised the customer expectations and how it met them, the water safety plans and the criteria set. The supply chain was tabled and explained in detail. It elaborated on its reticulation processes and elements of their support programme. The Rand Water Board, in its presentation maintained that quality commitment entails that water must be safe for lifelong consumption, must be palatable and should not contain any chemical or radiological substances that would be deleterious to health. Water should also be free of pathogenic organisms, and be as stable as possible. In the work undertaken by the Rand Water Board, an entire process is undertaken to ensure that water offered by Rand to their stakeholders is of the highest quality. According to Rand, the approach to quality management cannot be managed at the point of delivery. One needs to manage from catchments to points of delivery, and one set of criteria needs to be utilised.

According to Chapter 4 of the World Health Organisation Report of 2004, the following was highlighted in terms of safety of drinking water:

The most effective means of consistently ensuring the safety of a drinking water supply is through the use of a comprehensive risk assessment and risk management approach that encompasses all steps in water supply from catchment to consumer. In these Guidelines, such approaches are termed Water Safety Plans (WSPs). The WSP approach has been developed to organise and systematize a long history of management practices applied to drinking water and to ensure the applicability of these practices to the management of drinking water and to ensure the applicability of these practices to the management of drinking water quality. It draws on many of the principles and concepts from other risk management approaches, in particular the multiple-barrier approach and HACCP (as used in the food industry).

The City of Cape Town summarised the water qualification processes and challenges. The reticulation, wastewater, storm water and catchment management programmes were detailed. It contended that the City’s water quality was high and that management was committed to reaching ISO standards. The City aimed to prioritise challenges, ensure correct budgeting, carry out continuous programmes, retain skilled staff and align to water sector plans.

The City of Cape Town, in focusing on water quality, looked at the following:

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* The City of Cape Town Water Quality Status through the entire water value chain;
* Addressing challenges on water quality from abstraction to discharge; and
The present city’s capabilities on managing water quality.

The presentation noted the following:

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* The entire Water Quality value chain of the city is measured at Scientific Services of Water Services Department situated in Athlone.
In terms of bulk water, there are 11 water treatment works with monitoring programmes of samples which equate to 64 844 per year. The frequency of sampling is done on a weekly basis for composite raw and final water. The frequency of sampling on operations is undertaken every hour. There is 96% compliance with SANS 241: 2005.

The presentation noted the challenges pertinent to bulk water, reticulation, wastewater, catchments, storm water and river management service. These encompassed the following:

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* Bulk water challenges: water quality from abstraction has deteriorated and impacts on cost of treatment of potable water. Algae proliferation from the Dams impacts treatment,
* Reticulation: the ageing of the infrastructure needed frequent analysis.
* More public awareness on health and education as the society is becoming water quality aware. Stability of water PH and chlorine through the distribution line.
Wastewater challenges: ageing, maintenance, and demand of new infrastructure. Rapid population growth and increase in housing demand.

Despite these challenges, the advances made in addressing the vital issue of water quality in the city of Cape Town, was being given precedent by:

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* Prioritising and addressing all challenges of water quality in terms of abstraction and discharge;
* Ensuring an adequate budget for infrastructure;
* Proceeding with education and awareness programmes;
* Developing a strategy within water services to ensure that skills are retained and capacity developed; and
Ensuring the alignment by the city with a provisional water sector plan.

The Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa, Western Cape, (WESSA) recommended that DWAF should ensure Departments and suppliers comply with all legislation, that data should be correlated, that a water pollution tax be levied and that a compliance body be established. It recommended research into climate change. They pointed out that municipalities needed better controls and assistance, and suggested changes to tariffs. Further recommendations were tabled relating to issues that could be addressed by DWAF.

A useful submission from the WESSA presenter provided valuable recommendations, which were previously raised, and brought back to the table. However, if one systematically engages with the recommendations raised, one notices that DWAF as sector leader, together with other departments and stakeholders has begun the process of integrating policy and implementation to address issues around water quality.

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* A need exists for intersectoral and interdepartmental compliance with the range of national and international legislation at its disposal. There is also a need to publicly promote the principle that without water sustainability, there can be no sustainable development.
* At a national, provincial and local level, there is a huge amount of available data, which should suffice to make important policy decisions.
* A review of current water-related climate change research should be undertaken with a view to filling gaps, if necessary.
* The water-climate change link is possibly one area needing more formal research.
* Before any new expensive research projects are commissioned, there needs to be an integration and reconciliation of the current information available.
* A water pollution tax should be used to enable the establishment of a robust inter-provincial monitoring and compliance body.
* Proper ecological functioning of aquatic ecosystems should be made the primary concern.
* Socio-economic development drivers, having taken this sine qua non on board, should incorporate its principles into the ‘business plan’ so that conservation, water demand management, rehabilitation and good husbandry can be creatively integrated into socio-economic development.
* Municipalities are notorious offenders when it comes to water contamination and there must be a concerted effort to ensure their compliance (as seems to be happening in Stellenbosch). Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and growth/development plans must accommodate water realities (for instance in Paarl, Table View).
* Prodigality must be acted against robustly and high-end tariffs applied to discourage wasteful water use.
* All municipal domestic, hazardous waste and landfill sites should reach compliance with national standards by a specific date to be set by DWAF.
* DWAF should support and help resource the State 2020 zero waste programme.
* Registering of all bore holes and well points should become mandatory.
* Closer co-operation with the Department of Agriculture regarding farming threats as well as best practice should be initiated, as there are many overlapping areas of concern.
* DWAF should develop a national media strategy about water demand management along the lines of the ESKOM initiative with similar incentive schemes (low flow shower heads, leak fixing kits and courses, learnerships, water tank subsidies, etc).
* DWAF should seek out and deliberately support small existing water resource supply and management initiatives, especially in rural areas.
* More catchments to coast approach on the use of rivers should be adopted.
* Any inclination to privatise any aspect of water supply or service delivery should be approached with extreme caution and transparency as the tendency is to link such enterprises not only with the disputed notion of full cost recovery, but also with profit making. This puts additional pressure on resources and can lead to the transfer of water allocations that adversely affect both social equity and ecological integrity (for example, the Keurbooms water allocation transfer).
* It must be recognised that the building of large dams is not a sustainable activity and that even with mitigation and the observation of WCD principles there are far reaching negative impacts. (for example, Gariep, BWP and Staalpoort) Current impoundment and inter provincial transfer plans should be reviewed.
* The programme for the clearance of alien invasive vegetation could be stepped up and create far more jobs.
* The many existing volunteer groups associated with river, wetland, estuary and water system integrity should be formally acknowledged, used as examples for other areas and assisted with employment creating g.
* Water needs to find a place in a more detailed and nationally specific way in the formal education curriculum.
* This calls for a precautionary approach to desalination initiatives and the licensing of these because of the additional wastewater production.
* A credible plan for the reversing the current trend of river degradation needs to be instituted in consultation with the full range of stakeholders.
All municipalities should be encouraged to factor a climate change and water conservation/management strategy into their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs).

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) summarised the scope and effect of biodiversity activities and recommended integrated plans. DEAT’s current focus activities were summarised. The management of coastal water programmes was identified as a priority.

The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) focused on water quality and agricultural water use. It tabled its current research and projects, including a project on food security. Challenges included soil salinity, loss of natural biodiversity, and discharges from mining and agriculture. It recommended research into water quality, interlinking of soil, crop and wastewater, the development of monitoring tools and a monitoring network. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) provided the following input on their ccurrent research activities related to water quality:

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* Assessment of the effect of different water qualities on crop production – constraints and types of crops.
* The effect of wetland systems and mining effluent water use on irrigated agriculture.
* Water quality analysis for agricultural use in rural areas of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape (250 samples from boreholes used for both domestic and agricultural production analysed in 2005 for the Department of Agriculture).
* Current research activities related to water quality are in progress.
* Assessment of water quality and land degradation in wetland areas (working group to focus on the conservation of wetlands).
* Impact of water quality on irrigation schemes (Limpopo province).
* Water quality analysis for Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries (Zambia, Lesotho, and Botswana).
* Monitoring the effect of water quality on soil/land productivity.
* Current research activities related to water quality should be continued.
* South Africa is a water scarce country.
* Wastewater re-use for agricultural production is very important.
ARC Infruitec is running a project on the use of treated winery wastewater for cash crop and vines irrigation.

Some of the challenges noted by the ARC:

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* Soil salinity.
* The unsustainable management and utilisation of wetlands contribute to loss in natural biodiversity, with harmful consequences for peoples’ livelihoods.
* Insufficient knowledge or lack of water quality issues.
Discharges of mine water into the river system.

The ARC noted the following recommendations:

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* Research in water quality to establish the extent of degradation in our river systems, wetlands and irrigation schemes.
* Soil-crop-water quality studies with the emphasis on developing monitoring tools/technologies and assessing impacts of soil erosion, mining and water from industries.
Establishment of a comprehensive countrywide water quality-monitoring network.

The Chamber of Mines of South Africa is charged with waste disposal facilities, removal of stockpile, high salt loads and high metal concentration. It noted that although the mining activities are destructive in nature, the industry addresses the enforcement of regulatory tools in terms of cooperative governance, when addressing the issue of water quality.

The Department of Health highlighted and provided data on water and sanitation provisions in health care facilities. It was found that data on water and sanitation in health facilities is not routinely collected and, consequently, the response to the request for information from the Province was mixed and varied.

Masimbambane Civil Society provided a snapshot of a catalogue of community experiences across South Africa on water quality, access and security. From its empirical data collation, it noted that in some places, communities drink oily water, there was no water at all in some places, whilst in other areas; neither operation nor maintenance plans were available.

Written submissions

The Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association (CAIA), in its submission, recognised the need for a water conservation and water demand strategy in support of the achievement of national objective such as the development of key sectors of the community, poverty alleviation and unemployment reduction. The CAIA noted that it remained concerned at the lack of coordination between environmental impact assessments, and subsequent authorisations and water licences. CAIA further noted the intention of the Department to require industrial users who require a licence to use water, to develop and submit a Water Management Plan (WMP) in accordance with Guidelines to be developed by the department. The CAIA welcomed the intention to integrate the requirements of a WMP with an Environmental Management Plan.

The Federation of Unions of South Africa noted that the lack of clean water could create conditions that lead to the destabilisation in regions of the world that are already poor, and have problems. The presentation maintained that the lack of potable water could result in famine, conflict over resources, and poor governance. Global trends of increasing population, increasing resource consumption, and decreasing natural resource availability – including fresh water – have pushed many human social, economic and political systems to an ‘important tipping point’.

The presentation highlighted the following as an important foundation for human prosperity:

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* Adequate, high quality water supplies provide a basis for the growth and development of human, social, economic, cultural and political systems. Conversely, economic stagnation and political stability will persist or worsen in those regions where the quality and reliability of water supplies remain uncertain.
* Water problems are geopolitically destabilising. Water scarcity and poor water have the potential to destabilise isolated regions within countries or regions sharing limited sources of water.
* Poor governance and poor economies in regions around the world where water is scarce impair the application of innovative technology and innovative policies.
Effective water planning and management at local and regional levels require collaboration from a variety of people, including farmers, urban developers, environmentalists, industrialists, policy-makers and citizens.

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) highlighted three issues of concern, that of water quality, water quantity and the enforcement of statutory requirements. In highlighting the above, the presentation illustrated the manner in which early warning signs of contaminated water by the CSIR and Samwu were not taken seriously, which inevitably resulted in typhoid outbreaks. Dr Kevin Wall, of the CSIR, also presented in February 2006, a critique of South Africa’s water and wastewater treatment plants. Samwu, after this presentation, attempted to intervene by writing to the former Director-General Mr Mike Muller, but nothing was done.

While Samwu recognises that the issue is a complex one that does not lend itself to quick-fix remedies, the presentation noted the following four aspects of the problem that needed attention, before adequate remedial action could be taken:

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* The water and sanitation budgets need to be considerably increased.
* The commodification of water, within the broader context of the ‘now fashionable neo-liberal ethos’, in which municipalities operate, is highly problematic. Full cost recovery places a burden on the masses of the poor. The basic water, free to the poor is inadequate.
* The problems are exacerbated with the incompetence of municipal managers and councillors.
DWAF, it noted, compounded these problems by failing to exercise its statutory enforcement role.

Mr Mike Muller: School of Public and Development Management, University of the Witwatersrand: This presentation focused on the need to implement effective measures to ensure the provision of safe drinking water, and the need to ensure that organisations that are responsible for water service providers have the competences they need to do the job.

Mr Muller expanded on the following two issues:

1. Effective measures to ensure the provision of safe drinking water

The presentation used the findings published in the 2004/05 Annual Report of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in which it was noted that only 37% of municipalities complied with standards for the provision of drinking water as set out in SABS241. This was based on a self-assessment by the municipalities. The actual situation in terms of the quality of water actually being used was not determined.

The presentation noted that the identification of the problem was an important first step and action, to address this, must include the following:

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* Briefing of all municipalities as to their responsibilities as water service authorities and/or providers.
* Organising of training for officials engaged in water services provision.
Monitoring and reporting of compliance by auditing the quality control process to ensure that the actual quality of water provided to users is managed on a systematic basis as required in the SABS241.

2. Ensure that organisations that are responsible for water service provision

have the competences they need to do the job

In current interactions with municipalities, and with professionals attempting to assist, a repeated concern has been that many municipalities do not have professional staff with the necessary competences to undertake systematically and effectively the many and varied planning, investment, financial and operational tasks required to ensure service provision that meets national standards.

3. Findings

The findings of various inputs reflected the following in terms of water quality in South Africa:

A differentiation was pointed out in terms of the disparities between the reticulation of good water quality in the metropolitan areas and larger municipalities to other areas. The following reasons were cited for the failure of ensuring good quality water to all areas:

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* Lack of understanding requirements for effective drinking water quality management.
* Inadequate management, including monitoring of drinking water quality.
* Inadequate institutional capacity.
Lack of interventions to address poor drinking water quality.

In terms of monitoring of water by municipalities, the following update was given:

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* The drinking water quality survey of 2005 indicated that only 58% of municipalities are monitoring drinking water quality. In 2006, 85% claimed to be monitoring.
The implementation of the Drinking Water Quality (DWQ) regulation system will replace the annual Drinking Water Quality Survey. More reliable information will then be available.

Drinking Water Quality Management Systems have been implemented in the Free State, Western Cape and parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The project has been extended to provide the local Drinking Water Quality management system to all provinces.

The following challenges were noted by the presentations in terms of water quality in South Africa. These presentations were based on empirical research as well as data collation from secondary sources:

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* In a number of areas, insufficient management skills and motivation, insufficient operations skills and funding for water treatment and supply were recorded.
* There is a close link between water quality and food security and therefore there is a need to ensure safe drinking water. This is not always the case in some urban and rural areas, since these are confronted with the following challenges:
* Operators are unskilled and chemical dosing is not understood.
* Analytical laboratories and skills are inadequate in some areas.
Monitoring and evaluation tools are not utilised effectively.

Nonetheless, what was heartening to note in a number of presentations were the creative solutions that were being initiated to address the challenges of water quality faced by South Africa. It was stressed that the governance of water in South Africa incorporates intergovernmental cooperation between the local, provincial and national governments. It was noted that various under-researched or unspoken problems in the governance of water quality have now been exposed, and therefore various strategies are being utilised to confront and intervene in situations before these erupt as crises situations. The following examples of the manner in which various sectors are addressing challenges were highlighted:

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* Collaboration of a water quality management programme between SALGA, DWAF, Department of Health, Education, etc to monitor water quality in the Free State Province. The best practice methodology utilised by the Free State Province was specifically highlighted as this could be used as a framework in other provinces.
* The rollout of electronic water quality management systems to all water service authorities. These track over time the samples of water compiled and compliance of municipalities with quality of water policies.
Electronic water quality management systems are available at 220 local municipalities, which use the Open Source approach to generate knowledge. Open Source is available at little or no cost.

The need exists for one view that adequately conveys the overall status of water systems of different stakeholders.

The hearings therefore provided an overview on the work recently undertaken on water quality to ensure that water quality in South Africa is maintained at the optimal level:

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* Sustainable economic development in South Africa depends on ensuring water quality.
* To ensure equitable distribution of resources, such as the water allocation reform programme.
* A balance needs to be sought between issues of the environment and socio-economic development in pursuit of improving the quality of life of all people.
* To begin to bring together and strengthen relationships to create innovative chains between academia and policy makers to ensure that research has an important implementation component and reaches the target audience struggling with water quality issues.
* To ensure that various stakeholders are undertaking whatever actions work together the national interests of performance and success in issues of water quality and security.
To come up with strategies and solutions within a think-tank approach at all sectors, ranging from academia, policy makers and at community levels to position the future of the water cycle to ensure that the quality of life of the citizens of South Africa and Africa, within New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), is successfully implemented.

A persistent water quality problem is salination, increases in salt concentrations through discharges of water containing waste by industries and diffuse pollution fro poorly management urban settlements, waste disposal on land and mine residue a threat for groundwater.

Man made compounds such as pesticides is increasingly causing water quality problems.

Not sufficient submissions were made with regards to water security. It should be noted however that water resources are under threat internationally. Water is likely to be a source of strategic rivalry, depending on the degree of scarcity.

Water is a key element towards a country’s development wwith regards to irrigation, food security, and cheap energy rollout. Actions of one country to another as rivers flow from one area to another can have major impacts.

Thus further studies need to be done on challenges to security policy-makers within the region (water shortage and availability; water supply and quality; population growth, cross border migration and urbanisation and the threats thereof.

4. Policies and Legislation informing Water Quality in South Africa

The above submissions and findings, however, need to be located within the manner in which the sector leader, that is, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, has worked, and is still working toward water governance, reforming water policies and institutions, to implement sustainable water development and management.

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* Water Services Policy of 1994 focuses specifically on the backlogs in water services provisions in South Africa and the institutions and mechanisms required to address these backlogs.
* Access to adequate and sustainable water has become a human rights issue enshrined in the country’s new Constitution (Act 108 of 1996). Therefore, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is required to report to the South African Human Rights Commission on the quality of water provided to the citizens of the country.
* Water Services Act of 1997 (Act 108 of 1997) ensures the right of access to basic water supply and sanitation, and also provides a regulatory framework for and establishment of water services institutions such as water boards, water services providers, etc.
* The National Water Policy of 1997 (DWAF, 1997) declares that all water wherever it occurs in the hydrological cycle is public water, and that the national government will act as a public trustee. The national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, as the custodian of the country’s water resources, should regularly report to Parliament on the state of the nation’s water resources.
* The National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS) (DWAF, 2004a) provides the implementation framework for the management of water resources in South Africa as required by the National Water Act of 1998. Published in September 2004 the NWRS divides the country into 19 Water Management Areas (WMA) in which quantitative information about the present and future availability of and requirements in each of the water management areas is provided, and propose interventions by which these may be reconciled.
* The NWRS recognises the need to implement and maintain different monitoring programmes to provide information on different aspects of water resource quality, as there is no single monitoring programme.
The National Environmental Management Act of 1998 (Act 106 of 1998) is an overarching legislation relating to the protection and management of the environment. This law requires regular state of environment reporting in which the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry reports on the state of rivers report and progress report regarding aquatic ecosystems such as wetlands and estuaries.

On the international front, South Africa is required to contribute data and information to:

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* United Nations World Water Development Report.
* United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
United Nations Education Programme – Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) Water.

All these national and international reporting obligations require strategic water quality information, which has to be systematically collected over time. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) is currently in the process of reviewing the country’s water resources monitoring networks and programmes in order to appropriately respond to these national and international water obligations.

4.1 National Water Quality Monitoring Programmes3

South Africa has recognised the need for monitoring and assessment of the quality of water in order to determine the fitness for use and support the management of water resources. The DWAF is operating a number of national water quality monitoring programmes, which include:

4.1.1 National Chemical Monitoring Programme (NCMP)

The programme was initiated in the 1970s to assess the general water quality of South Africa’s water resources in which samples were analysed for conservative water quality constituents such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and inorganic ions. However, the programme was later expanded to incorporate analysis for plant nutrients such as total and dissolved phosphate, ammonium and total nitrogen as the demand for information concerning eutrophication increased.

4.1.2 The National Water Act of 1998 (Act 36 of 1998)

The Act is founded on two pillars: sustainability (long-term protection of the resource) and equity (sharing of scarce resource in terms of quantity and use of quality). The Act recognises the protection of the quality of water resources to ensure sustainability of the nation’s water resources, and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has primary responsibility for managing and monitoring the water resources. For example, Chapter 14 of the Act spells out monitoring responsibilities of the national government using the hydrological cycle as a unit. The Act requires the establishment of a National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS) to set out a national framework for managing water resources.

4.2 Towards Integrated Water Resources Monitoring

The National Water Act (NWA) of 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) requires that monitoring of water quality should be an integral part of water resources management in South Africa. Chapter 14 of the NWA specifically mandates the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry to establish national monitoring systems to monitor, record, assess and disseminate information regarding, amongst others, the quality of water resources. To effectively implement this legislative requirement in an environment with so many diverse players performing monitoring activities, it was recognised that the country should develop a holistic strategy to harmonise monitoring programmes and to ensure that they are compliant with the requirements of the National Water Act of 1998. A new framework called Strategic Framework for National Water Resource Quality Monitoring Programmes, within which all monitoring programmes will be developed, was published. The basic dimensions of this framework are as follows:

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Information user-centric approach

All monitoring should be justified by serving specified information users needs with information they need to perform their water resources management functions. This is to avoid or minate the problem of ‘data-rich but information-poor syndrome’.

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Core functions of monitoring

The shift in focus to information user-centric approach in designing monitoring programmes has led to a need to re-define the scope of the core functions of monitoring programmes (for which there are three) as follows:

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* Data acquisition.
* Data management and storage.
Information generation and dissemination.

These three core functions are supported by an IT support infrastructure.

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Institutional set-up for monitoring governance

The framework has defined the institutional roles and responsibilities with respect to water resources monitoring in line with the three tiers of water resources governance in South Africa as follows:

(1) National Monitoring Programmes (mainly status and trends) are to be

performed and maintained by the central government through Policy and

Regulation Branch of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in order to

provide information required for (amongst others):

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* International and national level water resources strategic and development planning.
Its custodianship role, and other national government Departments’ reporting roles, for example, Department of Environmental Affairs on the State of the Environment in terms of international agreements, for example, WWAP, UNEP/GEMS, SADC, Incomati Maputo Tripartite Agreement, etc

(2) Regional or Catchment Monitoring Programmes: Water management

institutions such as CMAs will be primarily responsible for:

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* Status and trends monitoring at local catchments with resolutions finer than used by the national programmes.
* Programmes to assess compliance of water users to water licence conditions.
Programmes assessing impacts of water uses for purposes of issuing water use licenses.

(3) Local Monitoring Programmes: These monitoring programmes are the

responsibility of such local institutions as Water Boards, local authorities and

industries, and other water users. The water quality monitoring of the country’s

water resources will only succeed if there is effective governance of the entire

process, and to ensure information delivery at the three management tiers.

5. National Reporting Initiatives4

There are three-tiers of water quality information needs with differing resolution levels that is information user-centric approach core functions of monitoring and institutional set-up for monitoring governance (these are all detailed above). However, to ensure information delivery at these three management tiers, an effective governance of the overall process is required. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is in the process of establishing a governance institution to coordinate and share resources, infrastructure, data and information across water management institutions and other role players. This governance process will ensure that:

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* Common standards for data acquisition, management and storage and information dissemination are adopted.
* Common quality assurance criteria are implemented across tiers of monitoring.
Coordination of relevant stakeholder activities relating to water resources monitoring takes place.

This reporting initiative provides the most relevant details about the status and production of the country’s water resources.

6. Conclusion

Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water mostly in relation to its suitability for intended purposes. Effective management is the main tool towards sustainable water resources so as to ensure that the quality of water resources is suitable for their intended use. Water quality management thus involves the maintenance of the fitness for use of water resources in a sustainable manner, by achieving a balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection.

Sustainability, equity and efficiency are recognised as the central guiding principles in the protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of water resources. These guiding principles are inherent to the management of water quality. Water resources must therefore be judiciously managed and equitably shared by all water users in the most optional manner. In water quality management, sustainability means that the protection of water resources must be balanced with its development and use. This ‘balance’ is attained through a process of resource classification, the determination of an associated Reserve and the determination of Resource Quality Objectives. Resource Quality Objectives, inter alia, stipulate in-stream water quality objectives aimed at meeting the water quality requirements of the five water user sectors, and are aimed at ensuring fitness for use of South Africa's surface water, groundwater and coastal estuaries. The concepts of Resource Quality Objectives and Resource Quality that were introduced by the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998), necessitate that water quality management, henceforth, also takes responsibility for the management of the aquatic ecosystem quality (in-stream and riparian habitat, and aquatic biota quality).

The following prominent principles form the basis of water quality management policies and practices in South Africa:

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* The management of water quality must be carried out in an integrated and holistic manner, acknowledging that all elements of the environment are interrelated.
* Decision-making must ensure that the best practicable environmental option is adopted by taking account of all aspects of the environment, including all the people in the environment.
* The precautionary approach to water quality management applies, in terms of the active measures taken to avert or minimise potential risk of undesirable impacts on the environment.
* In general, the principle of Polluter Pays applies. In accordance with this principle, the cost of remedying pollution, degradation of resource quality and consequent adverse health effects, and of preventing, minimising or controlling pollution is the responsibility of the polluter.
* Participative management in the management of water quality must be advocated, ensuring that all interested and affected parties and previously disadvantaged persons have an equal opportunity to participate.
Transparency must underpin all decision-making processes, and all information must be made accessible in accordance with the law.

In addition to the recommendations made by presentations listed above to the hearings, secondary source material research, as well as Members’ and the Department’s input to the proceedings also provided the following important insights.

The following recommendations are a combination of inputs of formal public hearings, oversight visits and information gauged from secondary source material:

Recommendations

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry must provide leadership in ensuring adequate water supply of acceptable quality for all. They include domestic, agriculture, industry, recreational use and aquatic ecosystem constituting the water resource base.

As sector leader, charged with monitoring and regulating the national water sector in South Africa, it is recommended that DWAF:

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Comply with the provisions of the policies and legislation informing water quality in South Africa. This would incorporate the provisions of its constitutional obligations, Water Services Act, the NWRS, with particular emphasis on the catchment’s management areas and international obligations..

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Monitor and evaluate the national monitoring systems to assess the impact on quality of water in the country. DWAF is operating a number of national water quality monitoring programmes, which include the National Chemical Monitoring Programme, the National Water Act of 1998 (Chapter 14 specifically mandates the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry to establish national monitoring systems to monitor, record, assess and disseminate information, regarding, amongst others, the quality of water resources).

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Evaluate the components of the new framework called the Strategic Framework for National Water Resource Quality Monitoring Programmes which was published. The basic dimensions of this framework, that of, information user-centric approach, core functions of monitoring and institutional set-up for monitoring governance needs to be evaluated.

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Track progress in terms of its establishment of a governance institution to coordinate and share resources, infrastructure, data and information across water management institutions, and other role players.

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Report regularly to Parliament on progress made on implementing the principles of water quality management in the country integrated and holistic; environmental options that take the people into consideration; risk management; the polluter pay principle; and participative management with previously disadvantaged people gaining equal participation.

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Report regularly to Parliament on the implementation of the Water Act (1998) with regards to its provisions on protection; management strategies and institutions; licensing of water use; a national pricing strategy and an establishment of a national monitoring system and information system.

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Ensure that all water users accept responsibility, upon issuing of licenses. Monitor progress needs to be made in the establishment of catchments management agencies, so as to allow for devolution of an understanding of water quality issues through engagement and involvement of people as well as institutions.

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Prepare a framework for implementation which will include resource water quality objectives; management objectives; sectoral water quality management plans and water use license objectives for the tasks that will face the catchment management agencies.

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Promote ISO 14001 certification so as to extend its water quality management capacity. With regards to public participation and civil society involvement in particular, the National Water Act (1998), enables participation. The Environmental Management Act (1998) also provides for transparency and participation. These are to occur at catchment’s management and water user association - DWAF must ensure its implementation.

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Implement and sustain through co-operative and participative government departments and at local level in decision making, use, development and protection. Such integration will ensure socio-economic objectives and environmental balancing.

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Conduct the review on water quality for the entire water cycle especially dam safety.

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Focus on ensuring that all levels of government make budgetary requirements towards water quality and operations and maintenance.

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Considers rural strategy to be involved as there are disparities that exist between urban water quality and rural water quality. Such consideration must been given on a rural strategy that would involve Water Boards extending human and financial support to provinces and municipalities; skills transfer; infrastructure overall and ensuring that water quality is included in IDP and water service development plans.

The impact of water quality and security and the choices made on sanitation on women and children requires much more attention, thus a gender dimension towards water quality management needs to be part of all policies, strategies and implementation.

Report to be considered.

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Sources

http://www.dwaf.gov.za

Water quality management in South Africa, sourced at http://www.dwaf.gov.za/Dir_WQM/wqm.htm

http://www.pmg.org.za

Nomquphu W (2005), Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria. The paper is entitled, Overview of the Situation and Cha

3. Report of the Portfolio Committee on Transport on the Carriage by Air Amendment Bill [B 18 - 2006] (National Assembly-sec 75), dated 13 September 2006:

The Portfolio Committee on Transport, having considered the subject of the Carriage by Air Amendment Bill [B 18 - 2006] (National Assembly-sec 75), referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism as a section 75 Bill, reports the Bill without amendment.

1 Water Quality Management in South Africa, sourced at http://www.dwaf.gov.za/Dir_WQM/wqm.htm

2 Parts of the summation were sourced from: http://www.pmg.og.za

3 The information was largely extracted from a paper by Nomquphu W (2005), Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria. The paper is entitled, Overview of the Situation and Challenges for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting in South Africa.

4 The information was largely extracted from a paper by Nomquphu W (2005), Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Pretoria. The paper is entitled, Overview of the Situation and Challenges for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting in South Africa.