New threat on the horizon: water safety
South Africa cannot afford a water crisis – too much is at stake…
The loadshedding crisis looms largely over the lives of South Africans. From the economy and jobs to safety and the cost of living, virtually no part of life in South Africa has been left untouched. Agri SA has also contributed to this discussion, raising the potentially catastrophic implications of loadshedding for the country’s food security.
But while all eyes have been on loadshedding, another threat is growing: the threat to water safety in South Africa. This challenge is inextricably linked to loadshedding, but is also a consequence of systemic local government failures. And this highly consequential matter must be a priority for the ministers of electricity and of water and sanitation, Kgosientso Ramokgopa and Senzo Mchunu, respectively.
At the core of the problem is the fact that sewage treatment plants need electricity, a resource in short supply. Energy is required to pump water and to power aerobic and anaerobic processes in water treatment. Loadshedding, unfortunately, interrupts the supply of power, resulting in the degradation of the systems relied on for water treatment, which are exceptionally difficult to reboot once they fail.
This failure is rendered even more alarming by a second factor from the past, namely that sewage treatment plant regulations mandated the return of treated water to rivers. For this reason, it made sense to position these plants close to rivers and waterways. But when treatment processes fail, the untreated water is likely to flow directly into vital water resources. Loadshedding (worsened by government inaction) has brought about precisely such failures in parts of the country.
The health implications of untreated water contaminating key rivers and waterways could be fatal. Indeed, South Africa has already registered several cholera deaths. Unless we urgently address the looming pollution crisis, waterborne diseases could soon plague the country.
In addition to health, there are food security and economic implications too. The mere possibility of water contaminating crops raises the risk of our produce being rejected by export markets unwilling to expose their own populations to any risk. Given the importance of South Africa’s agricultural exports for the balance of trade and employment, it is difficult to overstate the importance of preventing the contamination of food. Last year, South Africa already saw the ban of certain fruit exports to neighbouring countries and a ban on wool exports to China (both for reasons not related to water contamination), while South African citrus farmers continue to battle European Union (EU) arbitrary trade regulations. South Africa simply cannot allow any further threats to our access to key export markets.
To alleviate the crisis, urgent action is needed. A State of Disaster has already been declared to address the energy crisis. Under the regulations published in February 2023, “water infrastructure including water treatment plants” is recognised as essential infrastructure, giving the relevant cabinet member the power to exempt water infrastructure from loadshedding. This must be given effect immediately.
More complex is the question of how to address the failures of local government. For one thing, the regulations of the State of Disaster provide for the relevant cabinet minister to issue directives that require municipalities to ensure the security of water supply. Given the magnitude of local governments’ demonstrated incapacity, guidelines need to be issued that spell out precisely what is required of municipalities. In some cases, this may mean a directive requiring cooperation with the private sector since it appears that they, at least, are making real inroads on this issue.
In the Northern Cape, for example, the private sector has taken the lead to try and protect the province’s water resources. Gariep Watch, an agricultural watchdog body supported by Agri SA and its affiliated members Agri Northern Cape, Raisins SA, Orange River Producers Association and Karsten Boerdery, conducts quarterly water quality surveys demonstrating the consequences of the systemic lack of resources for the proper management of the nation’s water systems. Gariep Watch has had to resort to filing criminal charges over the pollution of local water resources with untreated sewage.
While the private sector has shown itself to be highly motivated and effective, it is unfair to expect them to pick up the tab for the all the necessary interventions. Which brings us to the third required intervention. In addition to loadshedding exemptions and directives aimed at improving local government performance, we need additional resources allocated to tackling this problem.
Municipalities need sufficient resources to invest in mitigation strategies in the form of generators and solar panels in the event of escalated loadshedding. Since first implementing loadshedding 16 years ago (in 2007), there is no excuse for the continued failure to implement a mitigation strategy for this most vital of municipal functions. But there are also problems that extend beyond loadshedding, notably the chronic shortage of personnel to fulfil these functions. Under the best of circumstances this shortage is a problem; exacerbated by loadshedding, it is potentially catastrophic. Therefore, national treasury and the department of water and sanitation must play an active part in crafting solutions and allocating resources for these functions to be performed properly.
The stakes could not be higher. Water sustains both our bodies and our food supply. Hence, our health, food security, and agricultural exports depend on the confidence of South Africans and food importers’ confidence in the quality of our water and therefore the quality of our food. We can only hope the members of South Africa’s cabinet are up to this most important responsibility.
-By Janse Rabie