35 / 72
35
of its water, has had significant environmental consequences
for the ecology of the recipient Great Fish River. These have
been extensively documented (e.g. O’Keeffe and de Moor 1988,
Rivers-Moore and others 2007), and include the introduction
of a variety of alien fish species. An example is the emergence
of a biting black-fly, Simulium chutteri, whose aquatic larval
and pupal stages have come to dominate the invertebrate fauna
of the middle reaches of the river since the inter-basin transfer.
An interesting success story in South Africa’s environmental
management is the “Working for Water” programme, which was
initiated by the Department of Water and Forestry in the 1990s. It
aims to combat alien plant species, which not only have a highly
negative effect on indigenous species, but also tend to consume a
very high amount of water. By the mid 20th century, exotic trees
dominated the hillsides around Grahamstown, significantly
reducing the runoff to local streams. In the 1990s, the Working
for Water initiative began to clear some of the local catchments,
the agreement being that the programme would fund the
initial and second clearances, and that the landowner (usually
the Makana Municipality) had the responsibility for further
clearances until the native vegetation was re-established. The
programme has had its successes, notably in the Featherstone
Kloof catchment and onMountain Drive, and where the runoff to
dams such as Grey Dam, which receives runoff from Mountain
Drive, has increased demonstrably.
INSPIRING WATER INITIATIVES IN GRAHAMSTOWN
In Makana Municipality a Blue Drop System is being
implemented with the help of the Amatola Water Board,
which is one of 20 water boards mandated by the South
African Government to operate as a water services provider to
municipal authorities. The Blue Drop System is a regulatory
tool and certification system used by the Department of Water
Affairs to monitor the quality of drinking water in South Africa.
Rainwater harvesting is being promoted by the project Galela
Amanzi meaning “pour the water” in Xhosa, and was initiated
by students in 2007. Galela Amanzi installs rainwater tanks in
key locations in the disadvantaged regions of Grahamstown,
providing water for irrigating community vegetable gardens,
cooking and drinking purposes.
A demonstration of integrated algal ponding process to treat
effluent at the Belmont Valley wastewater treatment works
has been in operation for 17 years. The plant treats about 10
per cent of the effluent received at the wastewater treatment
works, and produces treated effluent which meets the national
standards.
LESSONS LEARNED AND MESSAGES TO
GUIDE POLICY AND PRACTICE
Since its establishment, Grahamstown has struggled to
provide adequate water services to its growing population, and
the city is predicted to face future crises in terms of demand
for environmental resources in the face of climate change.
One solution is the Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM) approach. A recent paper by Haigh and others (2010)
discusses the requirements and impediments to IWRM at
local government level in South Africa. They point out that
many South African municipalities fail to comply with the
Water Services Development Plan, and cite ignorance and lack
of staff capacity; failure to manage infrastructure adequately;
poorly run and inadequate wastewater treatment works; failure
to clear alien vegetation from rivers; and failure to monitor
water resources as the reasons for such failure. Many of these
shortcomings echo the problems of Makana Municipality.
Haigh and others (2010) make several recommendations
for the gradual achievement of IWRM objectives at local
government level:
• Create an integration forum with an integration champion;
• Realign operational areas, so that all water-related activities
are dealt with by one office;
• Maintain a healthy environment, by drafting and
implementing an environmental management plan;
• Review the Integrated Development Plan procedures and
place water requirements at the centre of each sectoral plan;
• Ensure rigorous and effective monitoring and reporting; and
• Develop management strategies that include community
engagement, effective communication, rehabilitation and
mitigation measures, and risk assessment.
Haigh and others (2010) also recommend a number of skills
and training initiatives, including electronic data management,
water resource management training, technical training
including water chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology,
legal knowledge, and financial management. They acknowledge
that such capacity building will be a long-term process.