DVA 2603 Urban Development

DVA 2603 Urban Development 1. Introduction The provision of water and sanitation in urban areas has been a nightmare for authorities especially because of the growing trend in the movement of people from rural to urban. In this essay we going to explain this provisions, their importance and the challenges faced in terms of service delivery. Our focus will be on the need in urban areas. In rural areas, services such as water, road networks and schools are provided by the government but not at the same rate they are provided for in urban areas. Urban areas attract a huge population not only from rural areas, but from other towns, cities and countries as well. The exploding urban population growth creates unprecedented challenges, among which provision for water and sanitation have been the most pressing and painfully felt when lacking”. 2. Explain the concepts ‘water access’ and ‘sanitation’ Water as a basic need is one that has no substitute and yet remains inaccessible to some. Though trends sometimes show improvements in water access in some regions/ countries, others continue to lag behind and the population increase worsens situations. A WHO/UNICEF 2010 report indicates that sub-Saharan Africa, followed by eastern and southern Asia, are the regions with the highest populations using unimproved sources for drinking water and unimproved sanitation. These happen to be the most populous regions and even though some reports (WHO/UNICEF 2014) show that there have been marked improvements in Asia, that has not been the case with some of the countries as shown in a WaterAid 2016 briefing (figure 5.1 below). UN Water 2014 reports that Africa’s rising population is driving demand for water and accelerating the degradation of water resources and this has the potential to reverse some of the progress made with water and sanitation access thus far. Fresh water, in sufficient quantity and quality, is essential for all aspects of life and sustainable development. The human rights to water and sanitation are widely recognized by Member States. Water resources are embedded in all forms of development (e.g. food security, health promotion and poverty reduction), in sustaining economic growth in agriculture, industry and energy generation, and in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Water-related ecosystems and the environment have always provided natural sites for human settlements and civilizations, bringing benefits such as transportation, natural purification, irrigation, flood protection and habitats for biodiversity. However, population growth, agricultural intensification, urbanization, industrial production and pollution, and climate change are beginning to overwhelm and undermine nature’s ability to provide key functions and services The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) (2000) (now known as the Department of Water and Sanitation) defines basic water supply as “the prescribed minimum standard of water supply services necessary for the reliable supply of a sufficient quantity and quality of water to households, including informal households, to support life and personal hygiene” (Ntema et al 2017). 3 Basic sanitation supply, on the other hand, is “the prescribed minimum standard of services necessary for the safe, hygienic and adequate collection, removal, disposal or purification of human excreta, domestic waste-water and sewage from households, including informal households” (Ntema et al 2017). 3. The importance of water and sanitation service delivery in urban development The delivery of effective and efficient water and sanitation services to urban communities are paramount to ensure sustainable human and economic development. The UN Water report (2017) states, “Poverty-oriented water interventions can make a difference for billions of poor people who receive very direct benefits from improved water and sanitation services through better health, reduced health costs, increased productivity and time-savings”. Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and a range of services they provide underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the livelihoods of billions. According to the UN-Habitat (2014), improved water and sanitation provision not only saves lives but also supports progress in education and health. Urban areas attract a huge population not only from rural areas, but from other towns, cities and countries as well. According to the UN-Habitat (2014) report, half of humanity now lives in cities, and within two decades, nearly 60 percent of the world’s people will be urban dwellers. Urban population are projected increase to a total 6.3 billion by 2050. Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain average of 5 million residents every month. The exploding urban population growth creates unprecedented challenges, among which provision for water and sanitation have been the most pressing and painfully felt when lacking (Ntema, Maphosa and Masemola 2017). While access to household water supplies is critical for a family’s health and social dignity, access to water for productive uses such as agriculture and family-run businesses is vital to realize livelihood opportunities, generate income and contribute to economic productivity. Investing in improved water management and services can help reduce poverty sustain economic growth. Poverty oriented water interventions can make a difference for billions of poor people who receive very direct benefits from improved water and sanitation services through better health, reduced health costs, and increased productivity and time savings (UN Water 2015). 4. Identify challenges in water and sanitation access and service delivery According to the UN Water report (2015) the biggest challenges in water and sanitation delivery are: 1) Access to water supply and sanitation. 2) Pollution and wastewater management. 4 3) Climate change and water-related disasters. 4) Institutional capacity and water governance. The challenge of institutional capacity and water governance is a result of weak governance, combined with low incomes and costs of services; make it much harder for poor people to acquire sustainable access to water. Even in situations where investments are made, project sustainability remains a serious challenge. As much as 30% to 50% of water supply projects fail after two to five years (UN 2017). The European Union evaluation report conducted a study on 23 water supply and sanitation projects in sub-Saharan Africa found that equipment was generally installed as planned, but the following was experienced: 1. Fewer than half of the projects’ results meet the needs of beneficiaries, 2. The results and benefits of projects do not continue to flow in the medium and long term because non-tariff revenue is not ensured, 3. Institutional ineffectiveness to regulate, monitor, collect service fees, manage procurement processes, and collect and disseminate information and 4. Deficiency in the capacity of operators to run the equipment installed. According to the UN Water report (2017) examples of unsustainable water supply, sanitation and hygiene services are: 1. Persistently non-functioning community supplies. 2. Failure to treat wastewater or safely handle excreta. 3. Leakage and intermittency of utility piped water. 4. Increasing water scarcity and low priority given to domestic water use. 5. Inadequate investment in maintenance and operations. The UN Water report (2017) indicates that urban municipalities do not have the institutional effectiveness to regulate, monitor and collect service fees, manage the procurement processes, and collect and disseminate the relevant information and it also has deficiencies in the capacities of their operators to run the equipment that is installed. 'Given the rapid pace of urbanization, the institutional capacity of local and national governments and water utilities to increase investments and manage the delivery of services is becoming critical, especially in cities with old and poorly maintained water and sanitation infrastructure and cities in the developing world. High rates of unaccounted for water (mainly due to leakages), unsustainable tariffs and weak systems of governance are typical manifestations of the growing capacity gaps in many urban areas. Leakage results in loss of revenue, higher chances of drinking 5 water contamination and outbreaks of waterborne diseases, which will further reduce water service quality and the consumers' willingness to pay' (UN Water 2015). Delegation of water services provision to the local level without adequate fiscal support from national government has resulted in pressure on municipalities to be financially self-sufficient and to recover service-related costs from all areas, in effect commodifying water. The government provides a subsidy for the installation of basic services, including water and sanitation via the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). However this subsidy is not adequate and WSAs have to make up the shortfall. The challenge for municipalities is to balance socially and environmentally just water provision with fiscal sustainability. The ethics and principles around water disconnections and water restrictions also require careful consideration, given the harsh manner in which these are applied in some municipalities in South Africa (Sutherland et al 2012). Nzimakwe (2009) also says that the expansion of water services in South Africa has been hindered by insufficient resource allocation from the public sector but also mentions weak capacity to mobilise resources from stakeholders, especially the private sector (Nzimakwe 2009). Nzimakwe says that the key challenge facing the South African water sector, is how best the public sector and municipalities can leverage available resources to ensure affordable and sustainable services. There is therefore a need for strong technical and managerial skills to drive service planning and sustainable service delivery (Nzimakwe 2009). In order for the urban water cycle to function effectively, it needs to be supported by appropriate infrastructure in good working condition. Protecting the infrastructure used to treat and transport water (including sources, treatment plants, and distribution systems) is an important step in ensuring the safety of drinking water. However, in most cities worldwide, there has been years of neglected maintenance to water storage, treatment, and distribution systems. Poorly maintained water supply systems can generally be traced to insufficient financial resources and poor management. This deterioration in the water infrastructure threatens the quality and reliability of all water services. Infrastructure deterioration will impact to the public health, environment and institutions. Higher rate of the water leakage means higher water losses and higher chances of in-filtration and ex-filtration of water. This will create the higher chances of drinking water contamination and outbreak of waterborne diseases. 5. Conclusion There is an urgent need for planned action to manage water resources effectively. The problems in urban areas of developing countries are of particular concern as still large sections of the community are living without safe water supply and basic sanitation services. It has been widely acknowledged that in the past several urban water interventions (particularly in developing countries), have failed and this has been in part due to little or no attention given to the institutional landscape within which these interventions are applied and the lack of stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of these interventions. The challenge is to develop appropriate technical and institutional responses to these pressures that radically 6 change the way in which urban water systems are managed. Interventions must be considered over the entire urban water cycle, recognising interactions between the various components of the urban water system. There must also be a rethink of the way water is used and reused and greater use of natural systems for treatment (that are likely to be more effective against emerging contaminants). The objective must be to develop urban water systems that are more robust and resilient against these uncertain future pressures.