By IPS Correspondents
GRAHAMSTOWN, Feb 25 2008 (IPS)

Following several incidents that have raised questions about water quality and distribution in South Africa, Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Lindiwe Hendricks has tried to allay fears about her department&#39s ability to provide potable water to all South Africans.

Denis Hughes, director of the Grahamstown-based Institute for Water Research. Credit: Institute for Water Research

"There is no water contamination crisis in the country," she noted, on another.

Then, there was: "We do not have a water crisis resulting from poor planning; our planning systems are strong and we have looked at future water needs."

However, Denis Hughes – director of the Institute for Water Research, in the south-eastern South African city of Grahamstown – believes there is cause for concern as regards the incidents of recent months, which have included outbreaks of diarrhoea caused by water contamination. The National Water Act of 1998 is one of the best in the world, he says, but adds that he has reservations about the country&#39s ability to implement this law.

IPS Water Wire editor Steven Lang spoke to Hughes about South Africa&#39s water policies and what needs to be done to ensure they are put into practice.

Denis Hughes (DH): One of the main qualifying features is the incorporation of water for basic human needs as well as environmental flows as legal requirements that have to be satisfied before any others are allowed access to water. This "reserve" embodies the concepts of equity and sustainability.

IPS: To what extent does the water legislation prescribe its implementation?

DH: The legislation says that the minister has to give effect to the reserve, as well as other aspects of the policy. However, the problem is a lack of a timescale in which that is supposed to happen. There are several steps in the implementation of the reserve, for example. One is defining the level of environmental protection – otherwise known as resource classification – and this has been slow to happen.

IPS: You&#39ve intimated that the gap between the law and the application of water legislation is growing. Where is this most visible?

DH: One of the major problems is that the new law turns all water into public property, when it used to be largely private property…However, this requires that all water users are given an allocation of water, otherwise it becomes a free-for-all, and licensed to use it.

The implementation of compulsory licensing is being constantly delayed for various reasons: lack of knowledge of existing use, lack of capacity to process licenses, a huge backlog, et cetera. The problem is that more and more users are abstracting more and more water, and therefore the management gap widens – the gap between what is and what isn&#39t managed.

IPS: There appears to be a skills gap in water management. Where is this shortfall most critical?

DH: We all basically know how to do it and what needs to be done. Part of the problem lies in the delays with the setting up of the so-called "catchment management agencies" (CMAs), which are supposed to be the regional water management agencies of the future. Below that level there are supposed to water user associations, representing the users. If we had those in place there would be a degree of self regulation and licensing would be relatively easy. There simply does not seem to be enough people committed to the issue of proper water management.

IPS: You&#39ve suggested that something needs to be done urgently to ensure that the country continues to have a safe supply of water. What will happen if we continue on our current path?

DH: There seem to be two main problems. The first is mainly covered above and relates to management of the water resource at national and regional level. This is progressing, but slowly. The main problem here is that we end up with many areas having the resource totally over-allocated without accounting for sustainable use of the resource. The environmental consequences are dire.

The second problem is largely at municipal level, and is mainly a water quality problem related to ageing waste-water treatment infrastructure and rapid urban development. This means that waste does not get treated properly and largely untreated sewage gets into our river systems. The effects are environmental degradation and very high health risks.

IPS: What are the priorities at this point, then?

DH: I think the priorities vary with the region, but in most cases I think the waste-water treatment infrastructure is probably the most urgent. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) needs to play a more direct and powerful role in regulating other organisations. They have the legislation but at present they don&#39t use it to full effect, although I accept that they are plagued with capacity problems.

IPS: Can the situation be salvaged or are we heading for a meltdown?

DH: It could be salvaged, but it will take a concerted effort that requires commitment from the broad community of water users to support DWAF and the new CMAs in their tasks.

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