[DEBATE] : (Fwd) SA's killer water

[Patrick Bond]

(Neoliberalism - especially maintenance-financing neglect - is muddying 
the South African water system in many many ways. Here are the last four 
paragraphs of a new report... and if you think it's from the ultra-left 
activists and their academic friends, think again, and see source below.)


[Municipalities are] neglecting sound maintenance of both new and 
existing schemes; this neglect is eroding their asset base and 
compromising revenue generation and broader economic development 
prospects. Leaks, bursts and sewer spills are increasing. Deferred 
maintenance is costly: the longer it is deferred, the higher the cost of 
the eventual repair or refurbishment; and the longer leaks and spills 
are left unattended, the higher the cost to the municipality of 
non-revenue water.

South Africa’s traditionally high drinking water quality standards are 
being compromised in some areas as expanded service coverage and water 
treatment has lead to a growing operation and maintenance load. There 
have been a number of severe diarrhoea outbreaks from contaminated water 
and several instances of typhoid – most notably in Delmas where at least 
13 people died in 2005; more recently in Ukhahlamba District 
Municipality, at least 78 infants died between October 2007 and March 
2008 as a result of contaminated municipal drinking water.

The 2007 National Benchmarking Initiative revealed decreasing compliance 
of municipal wastewater treatment samples with minimum standards, and a 
‘severe, widespread and apparently growing threat to health and the 
environment’. A 2006 survey of 51 wastewater treatment plants in eight 
provinces found a critical shortage of trained and skilled staff. Just 
4% of the plants surveyed were operated and maintained adequately, and 
‘immediate intervention” was needed in 30% of works to avoid health 
crises. Many treatment works are staffed by a single operator during 
office hours only, although the treatment process runs continuously.

Even fairly low-tech systems are suffering from accumulated neglect and 
poor operation. A 2006 survey of 47 Free State oxidation ponds revealed 
that over half were illegally discharging effluent with high faecal 
coliform loads into local rivers, as a result of poor operation and 
overloading. DWAF figures (March 2008) show that wastewater treatment in 
more than half (55%) of the Free State’s 87 towns is non-compliant, and 
requires attention in a further 26%. One contributing factor is the 
rapid upgrading of bucket toilets to flush systems. Bulk supplies and 
infrastructure in a number of towns cannot cope with the additional 
demand for water for flushing, or with the additional load on the sewer 
system and treatment works; there are several examples of projects where 
bucket toilets have been replaced by water-borne systems without water 
or sewer connection. Household members now have to dispose of their 
excreta themselves, without the support of a municipal collection service.

Source: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Strategic Framework on 
Water for Sustainable Growth and Development, Summary Discussion 
Document, May 2008