Water quality in south africa is considered a difficult issue, and the country has struggled to supply some rural and local municipalities. 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. It occurs when pollutants are discharged into water bodies without removing or treating harmful compounds. In south africa and the rest of the world water pollution is caused by a number of. Awareness of water pollution as a problem and the decision to.
The main outfalls are at kuils river, hout bay, camps bay and mouillie point as well as the stormwater drain pollution such as. Analysis of water pollution control laws in south africa. Lets not forget about the intermittently high levels of microbial pollution from sewerage pumping out into our seas according to the south african journal of science pdf here. State of water in south africa a researchers perspective. Water security in south africa page 5 development planning division working paper series no. Among rural african households with unclean drinking water.
It then reflects on whether the country is water secure and, if not, what is required to rectify the situation. 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. Surviving pollution in south africa for more about. South africa have been conducted, there is still a need to document them, suggest possible remediation measures and management practices and strategies. The problem of water pollution is not only prevalent in south africa but also in. Water quality problems and management in rural areas of. Water pollution is when waste, chemicals, or other particles cause a body of water i. Air pollution from coal power stations causes disease and kills thousands of south africans every year, says uk expert 12 september 2017 at 11. South africa has, in general, a limited supply of water and the quality of this water is being threatened by pollution and the destruction of river catchments.
Brisley told delegates from the sadc about the national water resources strategy2, a guiding document to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of water in south africa. Drivers of air pollution in south africa session 3. Urbanization, industrialization, and climate change. New statistics released in parliament show that 118 mines around south africa are polluting rivers, inadequately testing for contamination or otherwise dirtying south africas waterways.
In spite of this notion, a sufficient number of the south african public have their own presumptions about the cause of water pollution. Rainfall in india is dependent on the southwest and northeast monsoons. Rapid urbanisation is contributing to a deterioration in south africas water quality, department of water and sanitation water quality planning scientific manager pieter viljoen said on wednesday. Some projections estimate that south africa already exploits about 98% of its available water supply resources. The solar impulse label is granted to innovative solutions to water pollution that meet high standards of sustainability and profitability. In both countries, it emerges that the main causes of pollution can be associated. Pdf on jan 1, 2016, asha gupta and others published water.
Pdf causes, effects and solution of water polution. Water pollution is any chemical, physical or biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks or uses or lives in it. Presentation scope international trends us, uk, eu and china what are the air pollution drives in south africa. Introduction south africa is a predominantly semiarid country. This paper is mainly an overview of the challenge of human induced water sources pollution in south africa. The water experts say the solid, liquid and particulate waste byproducts of urbanization and economic activities are contaminating air, soil and water quality. Many water quality studies conducted in south africa revealed that this problem contributes to the pollution of. The major line of argument in this paper is that the rapidly growing population. Pdf on jan 1, 2016, asha gupta and others published water pollutionsources,effects and control find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate.
Water pollution can disrupt and negatively impact natures water cycle as well. Discover its main causes and effects, but also technological solutions and how you can contribute to solve it. Water pollution of south africa essay 2116 words bartleby. The abundance of informal settlements that have been established along south africas rivers is a major contributor to this pollution, due to the lack of.
The olifants river is one of south africas major water resources. The water workshop comes amid severe drought in kwazulunatal, free state, limpopo and north west. This aids in minimizing water quality problems and possibly prevents any future pollution of the scarce water resources. Water pollution is a major threat to south africa averda. Analysis of water pollution control laws in south africa mcser. Contaminated water is a major threat among communities throughout africa. Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies e. What are the causes of water pollution in south africa. Urbanisation, pollution a threat to south africas water. The report suggests that the primary sources of water pollution are untreated or partially treated effluents from municipal, industrial and mining wastewater discharges. Environmental issues in southern africa water pollution. Department of water affairs and forestry its effective. Water pollution in south africa and its public health impact.
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. Since 2002, the chemicals used in gold mining in mali, including cyanide, have been found in the water in neighbouring senegal. Water pollution is one of the biggest issues facing india right now. Critical analysis of environmental water quality in south africa.
Water is a vital resource and it is up to all south africans to act responsibly in their daily lives and look after the available water resources to ensure that this limited supply is. One of southern africas biggest issues is the lack of clean water. As may be evident, untreated sewage is the biggest source of such form of pollution in india. Developing countries like south africa have a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, resulting in productivity losses and mortality due to high concentrations of air pollution, namely, fine particulate matter pm. Today, we have brought you the causes and effects of it. Land pollution is common, and it is important for us all to know about its crippling effects. Water shedding water shedding is when a municipality in a country decides to restrict water usage due to the lack of water available so that it can be saved for future use and that less water is being wasted by the people living in that municipality. The effects of water pollution on south africa essay. Air pollution from coal power stations causes disease and. Coombs national institute for water research, pretoria p.
Res8057 with high mountains and high rainfall in a few places. By reducing air pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma. This makes south africa the worlds 30th driest country. This predicted short age of water constitutes a challenge that can. Regulatory interventions, pollution, water, culprits, remedies 1. Causes of water pollution factors that contribute to water pollution can be categorized into two different groups point sources nonpoint sources point sources are the easiest to identify and control non point sources are ambiguously defined and harder to control. Water has been in the headlines in south africa for all the wrong reasons since late 2015. Air pollution and the impact on public health in africa by laureen fagan 19 april 2017 at 9. Natural causes of water pollution sometimes water pollution can occur through. Abdul azeemtextile processingntu water pollution introduction what is water pollution. Urban runoff is the greatest cause of surface water pollutants in numerous parts of the world. Intensive farming practices that cause increased nutrientpolluted return flows. The causes and impact of water shortage on the households of gakgapane.
Each solution goes through a strict assessment process. Some of those causes of water pollution in this subsaharan nation include. People in urban areas, usually provided with fresh drinkable tap water, are concerned with the water quality of this years supply. Water security in south africa development bank of. According to the united nations convention on climate change on south africa in 2000, the water around africa is unevenly distributed, meaning. In this post, we take a closer look at the water pollution menace in africa, its effects on the africans, and so much more. Causes and consequences of water pollution learn how the pollution of rivers, seas and lakes endanger the survival of the planet and all its inhabitants water is a basic resource that guarantees the life of all living beings on the planet. There are various reasons why south africa currently has a water pollution crisis. Lets dive into more details causes of water pollution in africa. The rainy season promotes the transport of toxic waste in the groundwater and the surrounding creeks. See our instagram and youtube channels for more insights into environmental affairs and our work with local communities. Air pollution and the impact on public health in africa. Most often it is forgotten that the land we live in forms part of our environment, together with the air we breathe and the water we drink.
981 1252 1006 653 182 1059 511 291 1403 1636 1350 360 735 516 162 1231 364 467 990 136 1607 1291 882 939 1217 1211 1080 753 1399 704 1156 1336 1165 1237