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dam-l Waiting For Water For All/LS


Waiting For Water For All

The Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)

May 12, 2000

By Barry Streek

Johannesburg - If the fight against rural poverty is to be won, the
government has to ensure a "national lifeline tariff" of 50 litres of clean
water a person a day, the Rural Development Services Network (RDSN) said
this week.

Its research has shown that about 40% to 60% of rural people do not have
adequate drinking water.

"Water delivery in the recent past has been under critical review,
especially in the light of damaging reports, including our own research,
that government water delivery is in a serious crisis of sustainability,"
said the network's media officer, Junaid Seedat.

The Reconstruction and Development Programme had promised a safe water
supply of 20 to 30 litres of water a person a day in the short term, and an
on-site supply of 50 to 60 litres a person a day in the medium term.

While water delivery is one of the government's most successful stories, the
celebration over the three million people connected to clean water soon
faded as reports going back to 1997 indicated a collapse of projects because
of poor management and budget cuts.

"Research now indicates that [only] 26% of projects were fully operational,
which would imply 780 000 - rather than the three million - benefactors
claimed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry."

Moreover, "by 1999 the government had cut water provision in its budget by a
massive 21,6% and a further cut of 3,6% in the 2000/2001 budget".
The network found seriously skewed distribution of water resources. "About
50% of the raw water is used by white commercial farmers. Alarmingly, half
of this water is wasted, due to poor techniques and inappropriate crop
choices."

Also, "2,4-million South African income earners accounted for more than 40%
of all consumption, while the poorest 21-million accounted for under 10% ...
Around 12% of the water is consumed domestically by white households, while
10% is consumed by all black households. Water usage by wealthy households
can average 600 litres a person a day, while rural communities may average
10 litres."

The RDSN, a network of independent rural development organisations, is
holding a "Water for All" workshop in East London from May 23 to 25.
http://www.africanews.org/south/southafrica/stories/20000512/20000512_feat22
.html

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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           International Rivers Network
              1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                  Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                        http://www.irn.org
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