Mkhondvo River contamination: Residents want water tanks
MBABANE – Residents under Nkwene Constituency, who consume water from the contaminated Mkhondvo River, have pleaded with government to provide them with water tanks.
The residents want the water tanks to be strategically placed around their community for access to clean water.
They said this temporary measure would offer a lifeline to countless residents, while a long-term solution to decontaminate the river is being sought.
Tests conducted by Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA) on the river water showed high levels of electrical conductivity, chemical o[ygen demand (CO'), and fecal coliforms, all of which are indicators of contamination.
Colour
EEA conducted the tests following concerns that were raised by residents living along the banks of the river, about a mysterious change in the colour of the water. The residents said normally, the water in the river was clear, but recently it e[hibited a greenish hue, causing uneasiness among residents.
The residents feared that the river might be contaminated or affected by some sort of chemical or environmental issue.
The river, a vital artery of life for thousands of people within the Shiselweni Region and beyond, as its waters sustain countless households, farms and serves as a haven for local wildlife.
Assegaai River enters Eswatini from South Africa through Mahamba Gorge, where it becomes Mkhondvo.
The river confluences with /usutfu River at Sidvokodvo.
The 4ueen Mary 8niversity of /ondon research paper defines electrical conductivity, saying it measures the ability of water to conduct an electrical current.
Eli]abeth Mnd]ebele said the river had served as a vital source of water for residents since they were born, but the recent revelation had shaken them to the core.
Mnd]ebele said they feared consuming the water and they were now scrambling for alternative water sources.
According to Mnd]ebele, these days they relied on harvested water, due to the continuous rains e[perienced by the country.
She stated that outside the harvested water, they did not have any alternative source of water.
³Once we finish the little we have, we don¶t know how we will survive. Alternative rivers are very far and no one can be able to travel to fetch water from those rivers,” Mnd]ebele said.
Temporary
She stated that the provision of temporary water tanks would ensure access to clean and potable water, while they wait for answers on the river issue.
Anna Tsela shared the same sentiments, calling upon government to assist.
She e[plained that not all people in the constituency relied on the river for consumption. She said only selected communities depend on the river while some have alternative sources of water.
Anna stated that the provision of the tanks could be directed at the communities that solely relied to the river daily.
³The tanks can be placed in the communities and government could assist with water tankers that we can fuel to refill the tanks. The truth is we are afraid to consume the water since we saw the greenish colour,” Anna said.
Adding, she shared that currently, they survived on harvested water from the recent rains. She said once they had e[hausted the harvested water, they would be forced to go back to the river to source water for consumption.
Anna mentioned that they did not have a remedy to their challenges, because they did not have alternative sources of water e[cept for the river they had used almost all their lives.
According to Anna, some communities within the constituency no longer relied on the river, as they were benefitting from the constituency-driven water proMect.
She said the proMect sourced water from Mkwenyane River, which is too far from their community.
³:e are still waiting for the proMect to cover our community. Once that has happened, consuming water from Mkhondvo River would be a thing of the past,” she said. Anna further called for more information on the contamination of the river, so that people could be properly advised. She said EEA collected test samples and did not return to them, to share their findings. Anna mentioned that they still feared consuming the water, because the greenish colour was still observable on a daily basis.
Adding, Sithembiso Tsela revealed that other sources of water were very far and the river was the only source of water they had used since they were born.
Sithembiso said despite relying on harvested water these days, soon they would be forced back to consuming water from the river. He stated that they did not have money to buy bottled water for consumption.
According to Sithembiso, the Mkhondvo River remained their only source of water, even though they were afraid to use the water for consumption purposes.
³The only thing we need is government¶s intervention by providing a couple of water tanks in the affected communities so that people can get water,” he said.
Threatened
)urthermore, he called for those responsible for the contamination of the river to be held responsible as they threatened their lives and aquatic nature.
Meanwhile, The EEA has assured residents who consume water from the Mkhondvo River that the river will be monitored monthly.
EEA Communications Officer Belusile Mhlanga, said they usually monitored river systems quarterly but in this case, Mkhondvo River would be monitored every month.
She said they would further continue with their investigations to uncover the source of the contamination.
According to Mhlanga, the people responsible will face charges of discharging elements on the environment.