The Swaziland Environment Action Plan (SEAP)

Contents | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

3.1 The Economy | 3.2 People | 3.3 Land | 3.4 Water Sector | 3.5 Biodiversity | 3.6 Agriculture | 3.7 Forestry | 3.8 Manufacturing | 3.9 Tourism | 3.10 Mining | 3.11 Fuel and Energy

3.0 SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

3.4 Water Sector

3.4.1 Surface Water

Presently, Swaziland relies largely on surface water. There are four main river systems in Swaziland.The Komati and Lomati lie in the north of the country, both rivers originate in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and flow through Swaziland back into the RSA before entering Mozambique. Komati has a catchment area of 7 423 km² and Lomati has 740 km² within Swaziland.

The Mbuluzi originates in Swaziland and flows into Mozambique, with a catchment area of 3 065 km². The Usuthu which rises, together with a number of major tributaries, in the RSA and flows out of Swaziland into Mozambique has a catchment area of 15 876 km². The Ngwavuma is in the south of the country. It originates in Swaziland and flows into the RSA before entering Mozambique with a catchment area of 1 305 km².

The combined natural discharge of rivers leaving the country is about 4,500 cubic mm/yr. The current water consumption is about 1,500 cubic mm/yr. At present, approximately 42,000 ha of land are under irrigation, but the potential exists for possibly doubling that figure by further development of the water resources.

3.4.2 Ground Water

There appears to be a great potential for future exploitation of ground water resources. It is estimated that the total potential ground water resource is equivalent to a sustained flow of about 20,000 l/sec. To date only about six percent of the potential has been tapped. The Middleveld and Highveld, which have the highest potential have the lowest number of boreholes, whereas in the Lowveld, where the need for ground water is the highest, but the potential recharge is the lowest, boreholes presently utilise about 42% of the estimated potential recharge.

3.4.3 Environmental Issues Related to Water

(1) Availability : Water is now a major constraint to development in Swaziland. As populations increase, both within Swaziland and in the surrounding regions, better management is required in order to ensure constant availability. Special attention must be given to river control systems principally in South Africa where headwaters of three of the five large rivers lie. The country presently has no master water plan.

(2) Water Management : The Water Act of 1967 is outdated and is presently being updated. Water sector management is fragmented with several agencies, scattered over several ministries, having different but sometimes overlapping responsibilities. This results in inefficient use of scarce resources, confusion and duplication.

(3) Water quality : There is degradation of water catchment areas due to human settlement and development. Total dissolved solids in major rivers is less than 150 mg/l, which is within accepted standards. However, surface waters are unsafe for human consumption due to faecal contamination and the presence of bilharzia blood fluke. In general ground water meets WHO drinking water standards, specially in the Highveld and Lubombo regions. In the Lowveld, ground water tends to become relatively salty.

(4) Domestic supplies : With regards to domestic water supplies, in the urban areas 83% of the population is provided with treated water, and 60% of the population has access to water-borne sewerage systems or septic tanks. In the rural areas, in spite of substantial investment, coverage levels remain low largely because of poor maintenance of existing water systems. Thus real water coverage in rural areas is approximately 30%.

(5) Monitoring : The majority of river gauging stations are not functional and water equipment is outdated

(6) Pollution : The major factories have generally been a cause of concern as far as pollution is concerned. Voluntary programmes in pollution control by the industrial sector have become common these days. Industries that produce in an environmentally sound manner are given gradings by International Standards Organisation (ISO) and this promotes pollution control. Such moves may be cited as the major reason for a gradual decrease in the level and frequency of pollution incidents. More interesting to note is that even cash crop producers have also contributed to pollution in the past. Reports of fish kill have been received and were speculated to have arisen as a result of pesticidal infiltration from agricultural fields.

Tailings from the Bulembu Asbestos Mine laden with serpentine (quasi fibrous magnesium silicate) have led to diminishing populations of trout fish in the receiving dam downstream.

Leachate from improperly sited garbage disposal sites in urban and industrial sites may find its way into water courses. An example is the dump site in Mbabane which has no control measures for storm waters.

Accidental spillages of toxic substances like phenolic liquors do occur and these have a big impact on the life of the rivers as well as being a health hazard for human beings downstream.

Transboundary water pollution tends to affect parameters like pH and sulphate levels and in consequence, there is progressive acidification of rivers in the country emanating from the Highveld. These include the Nkomati, Usushwana, Ngwempisi, Mkhondvo and Ndlotane. This is speculated to be as a result of air pollutants emitted by coal fired power stations situated in the Eastern Transvaal and industries discharging effluents into the rivers.

3.4.4 Policy

Status of Policy

Presently there is Biodiversity Policy. However a proposal for the development of a National Biodiversity Strategy and accompanying studies and activities has just been approved for funding by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Broad Policy Objectives

A National Biodiversity Policy should have the following broad objectives:

• To restore and maintain the biological genetic resources;
• To utilize bio-and cultural diversity in sustainable ways in order to meet present and future needs;
• To preserve the unique ecosystems of Swaziland through an expanding network of carefully selected and well-managed reserves and parks, providing opportunities for recreation and income generation.

Policy Elements

A national water resources development policy, incorporating a Master Water Plan is necessary to improve the supply and rational use of water. Some of the elements which need to be incorporated in water policy are:

• An institutional framework providing for a central agency responsible for all aspects of water development planning, implementation and monitoring programmes, and trans-boundary agreements.
• Long-term planning based on the analysis of future water needs, distribution according to the main water uses (urban, industrial, agro-industrial, rural domestic, energy generation, and on waste water treatment requirements.
• Involvement of stakeholders in water catchment management.
• Integration of land and water use plans (e.g. irrigation) for more sustainable use of water resources
• Improved water apportionment, water conservation and surface water monitoring

3.4.5 Priority Actions