Water pollution can be described as the contamination of water bodies such as oceans, lakes, aquifers and rivers. Water pollution awareness and drinking water treatment in rural south africa. The improvement of water conservation, water quality and wateruse. Environmental issues in southern africa water pollution. Traffic emissions, transported dust and open burning are all significant contributors to air pollution in africa. Bacteria, viruses, parasites and pollution contaminate freshwater stores resulting in water scarcity. Water in agriculture is both a source of water pollution. Moreover, it has a high potential for the development of hydroelectric power. Coombs national institute for water research, pretoria p. Zimbabwes river system heavily polluted the standard. In terms of freshwater biodiversity, we have 223 different types of. Water security in south africa page 5 development planning division working paper series no. Fourteen countries in africa are already experiencing water stress. Water pollution in south africa the pollution of rivers, lakes, and aquifers from domestic and industrial wastewater discharges, mining runoff, agrochemicals and other sources is now a growing threat to water resources in most countries in south africa.
A lack of clean water increases the risk of diarrhoeal diseases as cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery, and other water borne tropical diseases. Estimation of water pollution sources in lake victoria, east africa. This makes africa especially suitable as a testbed to investigate the effectiveness of new. Egilabor, 1998 apparently, environmental education is of immense importance. Nature is also under threat, as aquatic life suffers from lower water quality and drying rivers while wildlife loses critical habitats and food supply.
The africa water vision for 2025 is thus designed to avoid the disastrous consequences of these threats and lead to a future where the full potential of africa s water resources can be readily unleashed to stimulate and sustain growth in the regions economic development and. In its africa environment outlook, the united nations environment programme noted that water quality in southern africa has decreased because of pollution. Some of perceived causes of water pollution in this subsaharan nation include. Contributions which are not of broad international interest must make a specific contribution to southern africa defined for this purpose to include the countries of south africa, swaziland, lesotho, namibia, botswana, zimbabwe and mozambique. Agricultural activities are the lowest impacting the soil in africa.
There are various reasons why south africa currently has a water pollution problem. We have also maintained the holy grail of water products. An introduction to south africas water source areas page 10 an introduction to south africas water source areas page 11 south africa s freshwater resources and ecosystems south africa is famous for its biodiversity, and is the third most biodiverse country in the world. Problems and sustainable proposals working paper pdf available november 2010 with 20,242 reads how we measure reads. The water pollution in south africa has affected water quality and impacted negatively on public health and functioning of ecosystems including the rising cost of water treatment. South africa s municipal sewage system has largely collapsed. Experts say wise economic development focused on infrastructure and improved treaties on water. According to the who 2006, only 59% of the worlds population had access to adequate sanitation systems, and efforts to achieve the.
A human related threat to fresh water security in south africa. With water pollution continuing largely unchecked, environmental activists have taken to the courts to protect water resources in both the coalfields and goldmining basins. Pdf on jan 25, 2016, francklin kamba and others published impact of water pollution on human health in the central african republic find. Africa faces huge challenges with multiple issues that adversely affect public health. An introduction to south africas water source areas. This predicted short age of water constitutes a challenge that can. Agriculture plays a major role in water contamination. Many water quality studies conducted in south africa revealed that this problem contributes to the pollution of water resources upon which most rural communities depend for all their domestic and other purposes.
One major challenge is the ability for both rural and urban africans to access a clean water supply. On the face of it, water should not pose a constraint to such development for africa appears to have abundant water resources. Air pollution and the impact on public health in africa. Reasons, effects, statistics january 21, 2019 december 18, 2017 by elvis m. Water pollution in south africa and its public health impact. Africa is blessed with natural and mineral resources, but exploitation of these resources has led to extreme pollution of the environment. Population growth and urbanization due to developments have also contributed immensely to the current pollution in africa. A study by parsons 2002 investigated the impact of wastewater treatment plants.
It then reflects on whether the country is water secure and, if not, what is required to rectify the situation. Plastic waste pollution, aggravated by inefficient waste collection and limited recycling capabilities, is prevalent across africa. We investigated the effects of failing sanitation, poor housing conditions, and fecal pollution in runoff water on the healthparticularly the incidence of diarrheal diseaseof residents of lowcost housing settlements in cape town, south africa. Water sa is intended to serve both international and southern african readers and authors. This aids in minimizing water quality problems and possibly prevents any future pollution of the scarce water resources.
One of the challenges identified which affect the supply of water in rural areas is illegal connections. Improving the quantity, quality and use of africas water. This projected population explosion in africa is attributable to the fact that africa currently has the. Subsaharan africa suffers from greater levels of water stress than many other regions in the world. Cape flats and zandvlietwwtp although a lot has been reported on the pollution of surface water by wastewater treatment plants wwtp, not much has been reported on the pollution of groundwater by the same factor. Epa collaboration with subsaharan africa epas environmental program in subsaharan africa is focused on addressing subsaharan africa s growing urban and industrial pollution issues impacting peoples health, particularly vulnerable populations such as children and the economically disadvantaged. The problem of water pollution is not only prevalent in south africa but also in many parts of the world. Awareness of water pollution as a problem and the decision to. Epa collaboration with subsaharan africa international. We have steadily grown to an impressive user base of 4.
Surviving pollution in south africa for more about. Illegal connections affect the pressure of water in the pipelines, either to or from the reservoir, as some piped water get lost along the way, which enable the reservoir to get full. However, the continent also has a growing, youthful population that values improving the quality of life and readily adopts technologies toward this end 1 1. Since 2002, the chemicals used in gold mining in mali, including cyanide, have been found in the water in neighbouring senegal. Analysis of water pollution control laws in south africa. Application and elaboration of the rapid assessment methodology author links open overlay panel p. Water quality issues in west and central africa international. People in urban areas, usually provided with fresh drinkable tap water, are concerned with the water quality of this years supply. The report suggests that the primary sources of water pollution are untreated or partially treated effluents from municipal, industrial and mining wastewater discharges. Farming results in the release of large quantities of organic matter, agrochemicals, sediments, and drug residues.
Of the 824 treatment plants, maybe only 60 release clean water. In india, there is a general believe that the ganga river is clean and holy, however, the study conducted on the ganga river by. Estimation of water pollution sources in lake victoria. The improvement of water conservation, water quality and wateruse ef. In fact, the effects of water pollution are said to be the leading cause of death for humans across the globe, moreover, water pollution affects our oceans, lakes, rivers, and drinking water, making it a widespread and global concern scipeeps, 2009. Pdf impact of water pollution on human health in the central. Air pollution and the impact on public health in africa by laureen fagan 19 april 2017 at 9. Outh africa is considered to be a water scarce country and, if the current rate of water usage continues, demand is likely to exceed supply at some point in the nottoodistant future. The main outfalls are at kuils river, hout bay, camps bay and mouillie point as well as the stormwater drain pollution such as. Pdf this paper is mainly an overview of the challenge of human induced water sources pollution in south africa. Oil spills are a major problem in oilrich african countries such as nigeria and angola.
Our average programwide adoption rate is 51% as of julyaugust 2019. Water pollution is an environmental problem that is of major concern to us in nigeria and the world at large. The use of fertilizers and excreta at farms cause nitrates and phosphates to enter bodies of water, leading to eutrophication. Water quality is a growing problem particularly in urban areas and close to industrial centres, reads the report. Odendaal water research commission, pretoria it is estimated that water demand in south africa will exceed available natural supplies by the turn of the century. South africa has failed to address the massive environmental and health effects of more than years of mining in and around johannesburg. African transboundary river basin support programme case of the orange senqu river in botswana lesotho, namibia and south africa global financial commitment no. Tongji institute of environment for sustainable development, college of environmental sciences and engineering, state key laboratory of pollution control and resource reuse, tongji university, shanghai, p. A scoping study on urban pollution in the orangesenqu system ii a scoping report on urban pollution in the orange senqu river system report produced as part of the. Water quality degradation in the region is mainly attributable to. Water pollution is a major threat to south africa averda. The abundance of informal settlements that have been established along south africa s rivers is a major contributor to this pollution, due to the lack of. Water quality in south africa is considered a difficult issue, and the country has struggled to supply some rural and local municipalities.
Prevent water pollution, and address land degradation. Ives it is a sad fact that even with all the big rivers, africa content stands amongst the continents whose waters are heavily polluted. The south african minister of water and sanitation, gugile nkwitini, has revealed that water pollution poses the single biggest threat to the countrys water security and quality. Water pollution has been an issue in many subsaharan african countries, including south africa. The effects of water pollution on south africa essay. Water scarcity is a major problem even in areas where there is plenty of rainfall.
The rainy season promotes the transport of toxic waste in the groundwater and the surrounding creeks. South africas acid mine water pollution risks lives. Dispensers for safe water has been proven over the last six years. The major causes of water pollution include sewage and other oxygendemanding wastes, urbanization, agrochemical wastes, thermal pollution, industrial wastes, nutrient enrichment, acid rain pollution, oil spillage, the disruption of sediments.
South africa have been conducted, there is still a need to document them, suggest possible remediation measures and management practices and strategies. Africa faces mounting challenges in providing enough safe water for its growing population. Identified sources of soil pollution in africa include agricultural activities, mining, roadside emissions, automechanic workshops, refuse dumps and ewaste. Human contribution to water pollution is enormous by way of defecating. Urbanization, industrialization, and climate change. Pdf water quality issues in west and central africa. Africa, like numerous regions of the world is suffering through severe environmental crisis. Water quality problems and management in rural areas of. The project addressed the issue of aquifer vulnerability and the protection of groundwater quality. Water stress in subsaharan africa council on foreign. This paper is mainly an overview of the challenge of human induced water sources pollution in south africa.
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