January 2001
Let Us Protect Our Precious Rivers
Wisdom M. Dlamini

From the beginning, water has been central to life. Human cultures, nourished by water, flourished or decayed according to available water for drinking, cultivation and navigation. It is , therefore, not surprising that water has been described as the "single most important resource for our future" and "the pivot on which all future development depends ".

Great rivers, such as the Nile, Niger, Limpompo and the Zambezi gave birth to African Civilizations. Rivers have sustained whole ecosystems, supporting biodiversity ever since the world came to existence. There are numerous organisms which are sustained by rivers and some are not only supported by rivers but rivers are their only habitats. Human beings also depend on rivers for infinite purposes. It is very disappointing to see the same rivers dirty, contaminated and litter-strewn as a result of incautious and neglectful human activities.

Today water still dominates our life. Its presence continues to govern the locations of homes and cities; its availability or lack of it can cause death among people, animals and plants. Its intrinsic value may cause or exacerbate conflict, not only between states, but also between communities. A shift must take place in water resources development that will, in part, change the approach to watershed planning and management. The shift must be to an ecosystem-based planning and management. One which must include concerns for the long-term social, economic, and environmental well being of the human resource interaction. It is one which must include local as well as regional, national, and international perspectives. It must also assume significant levels of uncertainty and risk and must be adapted to change.

The irony is that water is nurturing and linking communities hundreds of kilometres apart, by rivers, and fostering kinship and trade relations. There are 6 major river basins in Swaziland and these are the Usuthu, Ngwemphisi, Mbuluzi, Komati, Mkhondvo and Pongola (a small catchment whose streams flow into the Jozini Lake). Two of the major rivers (Komati and Usuthu) have their sources in South Africa.

Multi-sectoral nature of water
Water flows through every sector of the economy in Swaziland: agriculture (irrigation), energy, manufacturing industry, mining and other non-consumptive uses such as recreation. For example, the contributions of the manufacturing and agriculture industries are approximately 36% and 10% to the total GDP (1995/96 financial year), respectively. The Ezulwini (~ 22MW), Edwaleni (~14MW) and Magaduza (~5MW) hydro-electric power stations draw water from the Little Usuthu (Lusushwana) river through the Luphohlo and Mkinkomo reservoirs. With these values in mind, it is very important to note that these industries are entirely dependent on the environmental assets, especially water, for their fruition.

An example of the economic and ecological significance of river basins is the Mbuluzi river basin which extends from the Ngwenya hills, through the North-Central part of country into Mozambique where it feeds the Pequenos Libombos Dam. The Mbuluzi river runs through all four physiographic regions of Swaziland and covers an area of about 2731 square kilometres ( which is 16% of the total area of Swaziland). The altitude ranges from 1500m in the Highveld to about 125m in the Lowveld. The basin receives an annual rainfall of about 950mm, on average. The Mbuluzi river is a major source of water for agricultural activities, and for domestic rural and urban supplies. The Hawane Dam, located along the Mbuluzi river, supplies water to the city of Mbabane. Water from the river is also used in various ways by communities along its course. It is also a source of water supply to the Ngomane and Simunye irrigation schemes through the Mnjoli Dam. The Mlawula, Mbuluzi and Hlane nature reserves which have a great biodiversity and are also tourist destinations. The Mbuluzi river is therefore very important to the socio-economy of the country. The development activities taking place in the river basin include agriculture ( i.e. crop and livestock farming), industrial activities and urbanization. Urbanization has a great potential of generating all kinds of refuse which finds it way into neighbouring streams. Urban places are major users of water for various purposes and there is an inevitable adverse impact urban centres have on rive systems. A large portion of the Mbuluzi river is within the Swazi Nation Land where subsistence farming predominates. Farming activities on the Swazi Nation Land involve crop production and livestock farming. Overgrazing is a major problem in this area due to large numbers of livestock which has led to serious environmental degradation in such areas as Bhekinkhosi, Nyakeni and eKutsimuleni.

Other major (multi-million) projects involving rivers are the Maguga Dam (Komati river) and the Lower Usuthu River Basin Project (Great Usuthu river). All these are projects have a multi multi-sectoral setting but all are aimed at boosting the economy and welfare of the country.

Population pressure
In a country whose population is growing at an alarming rate (about 3.4% per annum), water resources are under siege. The population pressure is a major problem in Swaziland. Various environmental problems such as deforestation, soil erosion, and drought have arised on account of this pressure. Deterioration of natural forest has resulted in disturbance of the hydrologic function of the watershed. Erosion rates are high in areas that have been cleared or deforested, thus contributing to the siltation and consequent pollution of our rivers and dams by the eroded and contaminated soils. There are numerous problems associated with poor river catchment management.

These include: eutrophication, production of methane, increased acidity, oxygen reduction, increased corrosion, aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, loss of environmental services, loss of wildlife habitat, proliferation of waterweeds, curtailed multiple use, increased disease vectors, impained water quality, impediment to access , reduction of river and reservoir volumes, ecosystem and other human effects. These not only affect the environment but also the health of people and the country’s economy itself.

The demands being placed on water resources are growing daily, limiting the country’s capacity to supply its people with adequate, clean drinking water. While some regions like the Highveld and Upper Middleveld receive appreciable amount of rainfall, others regions like the Lowveld do not. The Lowveld, for example, is the region that is most affected by water shortage or rather inaccessibility to water sources. Even though most rivers run through the lowveld, the issue of accessibility is of concern since most of the lowveld population can not access water, clean water for that matter. Pollution of rivers is a major threat to the country’s ability to provide its citizens with adequate, clean drinking water. Rivers are being threatened due to pollution caused by the discharge of effluents from the manufacturing industry, raw sewage dumping, spills and other human activities.

Urgent measures need to be taken to better manage and conserve our rivers. Agenda 21 states that:

"The multi sectoral nature of water resources development in the context of socio-economic development must be recognized, as well as the multi-interest utilization of water resources for water supply and sanitation, agriculture, industry, urban development, hydropower generation, inland fisheries, transportation, recreation, low and flat lands management and other activities."

Water and the environment
The environment uses water just like people do. It needs water for its natural systems, ecosystems, hydrological and biological systems. The rivers and the riparian zones require water for their survival. The rivers in Swaziland are not all perennial and with climatic changes (e.g. the drought), there is evidence that the rivers and the parallel habitats are under threat. With increasing demand for water and increased industrial activity, there will be more demand for water. This does not only threaten the water quantity requirements of rivers but also the quality of the rivers. There are already problems in our rivers resulting from pollution from chemical spills and from agrochemicals. These include decline in certain fish species and the overall deterioration of the river systems. With global problems like climate change, which has resulted in frequent droughts and other climatic anomalies, there is a need to assess the ecosystem (or environmental) and economic water requirements on a river basin scale.

Swaziland is a developing country and, hence, there are several development projects on the pipeline. There is also increasing industrial activity. It is very important that the following issues be considered in the planning and implementation of certain industrial operations and other development activities, and these are the effects of proposed projects on:

Water resources in terms of quantity and quality,
Water input/output changes in terms of quantity and quality,
Change and fluctuation of water level,
Physical changes of shoreline including the inner and outer watershed,
Vegetation (especially forest) cover of the catchment area,
Degradation of soil conditions (erosion, salination, desertification, etc.),
Siltation, sedimentation of watersheds
Habitat of wildlife (fauna and flora)
Urbanization and industrialization with significant environmental burdens in terms of environmental pollution,
Changes in water and land use having significant implications on the catchment area and water body, and
Area of particular social interest to a specific vulnerable population (especially resettlement).
Rivers can be likened to veins and arteries carrying blood through the body of the earth. "Poisoning" (pollution) of this "blood" will obviously result in the ill-health and, eventually the death of this planet. Therefore, a multidisciplinary and holistic approach and public participation in the protection and management of river basins will ensure a sustainable use of this very important resource (water) on which our economy and our livelihoods are firmly based.

Reference:
Government of Swaziland: Water Sector Situation Report, July 1997.

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