Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Health aspects of Rural water supply'

Thesis (MTech (Chemical Engineering))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town, 2003
The monitoring of pesticide contamination in surface and groundwater is an essential aspect of an assessment of the potential environmental and health impacts of widespread pesticide use. Previous research in three Western Cape farming areas found consistent (37% to 69% of samples) pesticide contamination of rural water sources. However, despite the need, monitoring of pesticides in water is not done due to lack of analytical capacity and the cost of analysis in South Africa. The Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) sampling method has been developed over the last decade as a replacement for solvent-based analyte extraction procedures. The method utilizes a short, thin, solid rod of fused silica coated with an absorbent polymer. The fibre is exposed to the pesticide contaminated water sample under vigorous agitation. The pesticide is absorbed into the polymer coating; the mass absorbed depends on the partition coefficient of the pesticide between the sample phase and the polymeric coating, the exposure time and factors such as agitation rate, the diffusivity of the analyte in water and the polymeric coating, and the volume and thickness of the coating. After absorption, the fibre is directly inserted into the Gas Chromatograph (GC) injection port for analysis. For extraction from a stirred solution a fibre will have a boundary region where the solution moves slowly near the fibre surface and faster further away until the analyte is practically perfectly mixed in the bulk solution by convection. The boundary region may be modelled as a layer of stationary solution surrounded by perfectly mixed solution.

Water is an indispensible and yet a difficult resource to be renewed, thus water scarcity has become one of the major challenges faced worldwide, with the Southern regions of Africa being the most impacted and affected, especially the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa where rural communities depend on receiving waterbodies that are often negatively impacted by wastewater final effluents. This present study was conducted between August and December 2010 to assess the physicochemical and microbial qualities of the final effluents of peri-urban and rural communities based wastewater treatment plants in the Eastern Cape Province. The physicochemical parameters were determined on site and in the laboratory, while bacteriological qualities were determined using culture based techniques. The virological qualities were determined by molecular methods using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the target RNA virus and the conventional polymerase chain reaction for the target DNA virus. For both wastewater treatment plants, the physicochemical parameters ranged as follows: chemical oxygen demand (5.95-45 mg/L); total dissolved solids (114.5-187.0 mg/L); salinity (0.12-0.20 psu); temperature (14.2-25.7oC); pH (6.0-7.6); nitrate and nitrites (1.55-6.7 mg/L and 0.023-1.15 mg/L respectively); biological oxygen demand (3.5-7.8 mg/L); turbidity (1.49-6.98 NTU); and chlorine residual (0-2.97 mg/L). Feacal indicator bacteria counts ranged as follows: feacal coliforms (0-1.25×104 cfu/100 ml); total coliforms (0-3.95×104 cfu/100 ml); and enterococci (0-5.0×103 cfu/100 ml). xviii Seventy five percent of the rural community based plant and 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant were positive for coxsackie A virus, while hepatitis A virus was detected in all the rural community based plant 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant. This study suggests the need for intervention by appropriate regulatory agencies to ensure regular monitoring of the qualities of final effluents of wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province and ensure compliance to established guidelines.

In 1998, Western Kentucky University (WKU) worked in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Drinking Water Protection Division, to investigate methods to improve source-water quality for rural-water supply systems (RWSS). Through partial funding from the EPA, WKU developed a Technical Assistance Center for Water Quality (TACWQ), which focused resources and expertise toward assisting RWSS in achieving and maintaining capacity development goals and protecting public health. The TACWQ established the Source Water Protection Initiative (SWPI) to assist RWSS in acquiring and monitoring the technical, financial and managerial capacity needed to provide safe drinking water and achieve the public health protection goals of the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act (Technical Assistance Center, July 1998). The SWPI also provided technical assistance toward identifying and reducing source water impacts throughout Kentucky. Monthly sampling during 2000 from seven watersheds in western and south central Kentucky showed that levels of several pesticides and herbicides were elevated above Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in their source waters. Of the MCL exceedences, three commonly used pesticides (atrazine, alachlor, and simazine) were repeatedly being detected at several sites. Of the three compounds, atrazine, a triazineclass herbicide widely used in Kentucky to control broad leaf and grassy weeds in row crops such as corn, drew the most interest. Atrazine has been classified as a spring use only, "Restricted Use Pesticide due to its potential for groundwater contamination." (EXTOXNET, 1996) It is regulated as a compound with class III (slight) toxicity. In 1994, EPA took atrazine under special review to evaluate the ecological and biological effects it may cause. EPA later deemed atrazine not to significantly increase the risk of cancer in humans and went as far as lifting its use restrictions. Independent researchers still dispute EPA claims. The exceedences of the MCLs by many compounds in source water do not immediately result in violations. The source water must go through treatment processes. Water-supply operators must strive to meet National Primary Drinking Water Standards (EPA, 1999) prior to going to the consumer. However, the fundamental concept driving the SWPI is that the technical and financial challenges faced by RWSS are proportional to the quality of their source water. At several sites, even treated water that was distributed to customers exceeded federally mandated MCLs. Levels of atrazine in finished water reached 17 parts per billion (ppb) in Lewisburg, Kentucky. The MCL for atrazine is currently 3.0 ppb.

Globally, there is still a large number of people without access to safe drinking water; a known health risk. In rural areas of countries like Peru, when potable water systems are built the responsibility for maintaining these systems is given to volunteer water committees. Despite its prevalence as a management model, there is a consensus that community management alone cannot ensure sustainable water service. Therefore, the overall goal of this research is to assess the sustainability of community-managed water systems in rural areas of the department of Amazonas, Peru. Specifically, this research examines two mechanisms that have been shown to improve the sustainability of rural water systems: 1) monitoring for asset management and service delivery, and 2) provision of long-term external support. In Amazonas, three sustainability assessment tools have been used recently to monitor the service level and management of water systems. These assessment tools are: the Rural Water and Sanitation Information System (SIASAR, in Spanish), Tracers in Rural Water and Sanitation (Trazadores, in Spanish), and the Diagnostic Survey for Water Supply and Sanitation (Diagnostico, in Spanish). The three tools were assessed using a question mapping technique as well as a sustainability assessment tool evaluation matrix. This analysis identified the SIASAR assessment tool to be the most appropriate for ensuring sustainability of rural water supply systems. This research also used the data collected with the SIASAR and Trazadores assessment tools to assess the state of community-managed rural water systems in Amazonas. The analysis showed that 81% of systems in the SIASAR analysis and 58% of systems in the Trazadores analysis have deficiencies that are beyond the ability of the water committee to overcome. In recent years, the Peruvian government has prioritized the creation of an office in each district dedicated to providing external technical support to local water committees. This office, called the Área Técnica Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento (ATM), is charged with formalizing and training water committees which are given the name, Juntas Administradoras de los Servicios de Saneamiento (JASS). In order to examine the provision of long-term external support provided by the ATM to the JASS, field research was conducted in six districts in Amazonas. Valuable anecdotal evidence was provided by the field research that helped to form recommendations for strengthening the capacity of the ATM office at the local municipal level. The results of this research demonstrate that currently a large number of community-managed rural water systems in Amazonas are not sustainable but that the prioritization of monitoring and external support is an encouraging sign. If these mechanisms continue to be prioritized then it is highly likely that water systems throughout Amazonas and Peru will become more sustainable, bringing benefits to millions of Peruvians in rural areas.

Eighty percent of the 780 million people worldwide that access water from an unimproved source live in rural areas. In rural areas, water systems are often managed by community based organizations and many of these systems do not provide service at the designed levels. The Sustainability Analysis Tool developed in Chapter 2 can inform decision making, characterize specific needs of rural communities in the management of their water systems, and identify weaknesses in training regimes or support mechanisms. The framework was tested on 61 statistically representative geographically stratified sample communities with rural water systems in the Dominican Republic. The results demonstrated the impact that long term support by outside groups to support community management activities can improve sustainability indicators, including financial sustainability which is a significant issue throughout the world. When analyzing the financial sustainability of water systems, it is important to consider all life-cycle costs including the expenditures made by households. Chapter 3 analyzes financial and economic expenditures on water services in 9 rural and peri-urban communities in Burkina Faso. Data from household and water point surveys were used to determine: socio-economic status, financial and economic expenditures, and service levels received by each household. In Burkina Faso recurrent financial and economic expenditures on water service ranged between US$5 and US$9.5 per person per year, with cumulative costs approximately US$19.5 per person per year. The average expenditures on water in Burkina Faso were well above the affordability threshold used by World Bank demonstrating the need to improve subsidies in the water sector. The sustainability of water supply systems and the ability to ensure the health benefits of these systems is also influenced by the deficiencies in sanitation infrastructure. Unimproved sanitation can be a source of water contamination and a risk factor in water related disease. Furthermore, the effective management of community water supply infrastructure is not a sufficient condition for ensuring water quality and eliminating health risks to consumers. As a result water treatment technologies, such as ceramic water filters (CWFs), implemented and managed at the household level and combined with safe storage practices are proposed as a means of reducing these risks. The performance of CWFs in laboratory settings has differed significantly from field studies with regard to microbial treatment efficacy and also hydraulic efficiency. Chapter 4 presents a 14 month field study of two locally manufactured CWFs conducted in a rural community in the Dominican Republic. Each of the 59 households in the community received one filter. The CWFs in this study performed poorly with regard to water quality and hydraulic performance. Focus group meetings and household survey suggests that flow rate is a major issue for user acceptability. To address the user concerns Chapter 5 presents two mathematical models for improving the hydraulic performance for the frustum and paraboloid designs. The models can be used to predict how changes in user behavior or filter geometry affects the volume of water produced and therefore can be used as tools to help optimize filter performance.

Water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases are responsible for 7% of all deaths and 8% of all disability adjusted live years (DALYs), as well as the loss of 320 million days of productivity in developing countries. Though laboratory and field trials have shown that household water treatment (HWT) technologies can quickly improve the microbiological quality of drinking water, questions remain about the effectiveness of these technologies under real-world conditions. Furthermore, the value that rural communities attach to HWT is unknown, and it is not clear why, in spite of the fact that rural African households need household water treatment (HWT) most, they are the least likely to use them. The primary objective of this multi-level study was to assess the post-implementation effectiveness of selected HWT technologies in the Nyanza and Western Provinces of Kenya. The study was carried out in the rainy season between March and May, 2011 using a mixed method approach. Evidence was collected in order to build a case of evidence of HWT effectiveness or ineffectiveness in a post-implementation context. A quasi-experimental design was used first to conduct a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey in 474 households in ten intervention and five control villages (Chapter 3). The survey assessed the context in which household water treatment was being used in the study villages to provide real-world information for assessing the effectiveness of the technologies. An interviewer-administered questionnaire elicited information about the water, sanitation and hygiene-related KAP of the study communities. A household water treatment (HWT) survey (Chapter 4) was carried out in the same study households and villages as the KAP study, using a semi-structured questionnaire to gather HWT adoption, compliance and sustained use-related information to provide insight into the perceived value the study households attach to HWT technologies, and their likelihood of adoption of and compliance with these technologies. The drinking water quality of 171 (one quarter of those surveyed during KAP) randomly selected households was determined and tracked from source to the point of use (Chapter 5). This provided insights into HWT effectiveness by highlighting the need for HWT (as indicated by source water quality) and the effect of the study households’ KAP on drinking water quality (as indicated by the stored water quality). Physico-chemical and microbiological water quality of the nineteen improved and unimproved sources used by the study households was determined, according to the World Health Organisation guidelines. The microbiological quality of 291 water samples in six intervention and five control villages was determined from source to the point-of-use (POU) using the WHO and Sphere Drinking Water Quality Guidelines. An observational study design was then used to assess the post-implementation effectiveness of the technologies used in 37 households in five intervention villages (Chapter 6). Three assessments were carried out to determine the changes in the microbiological quality of 107 drinking water samples before treatment (from collection container) and after treatment (from storage container) by the households. The criteria used to assess the performance of the technologies were microbial efficacy, robustness and performance in relation to sector standards. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was then carried out in the HWT effectiveness study households to assess the technologies’ ability to reduce the users’ exposure to and probability of infection with water-borne pathogens (Chapter 7). The KAP survey showed that the intervention and control communities did not differ significantly in 18 out of 20 socio-economic variables that could potentially be influenced by the structured manner of introducing HWT into the intervention villages. The majority of the intervention group (IG) and the control group (CG) were poor or very poor on the basis of household assets they owned. The predominant level of education for almost two-thirds of the IG and CG respondents was primary school (completed and non-completed). Though very few were unemployed in IG (8.07%) and CG (14.29%), the two groups of respondents were predominantly engaged in subsistence farming — a low income occupation. With regard to practices, both groups had inadequate access to water and sanitation with only one in two of the households in both IG and CG using improved water sources as their main drinking water source in the non-rainy season. One in ten households in both study groups possessed an improved sanitation facility, though the CG was significantly more likely to practice open defecation than the IG. The self-reported use of soap in both study groups was mainly for bathing and not for handwashing after faecal contact with adult or child faeces. Despite the study groups' knowledge about diarrhoea, both groups showed a disconnection between their knowledge about routes of contamination and barriers to contamination. The most frequent reason for not treating water was the perceived safety of rain water in both the IG and CG.
The HWT adoption survey revealed poor storage and water-handling practices in both IG and CG, and that very few respondents knew how to use the HWT technologies correctly: The IG and CG were similar in perceived value attached to household water treatment. All HWT technologies had a lower likelihood of adoption compared to the likelihood of compliance indicators in both IG and CG. The users’ perceptions about efficacy, time taken and ease of use of the HWT technologies lowered the perceived value attached to the technologies. The assessment of the drinking water quality used by the study communities indicated that the improved sources had a lower geometric mean E. coli and total coliform count than the unimproved sources. Both categories of sources were of poor microbiological quality and both exceeded the Sphere Project (2004) and the WHO (2008) guidelines for total coliforms and E. Coli respectively The study communities’ predominant drinking water sources, surface water and rainwater were faecally contaminated (geometric mean E. coli load of 388.1±30.45 and 38.9±22.35 cfu/100 ml respectively) and needed effective HWT. The improved sources were significantly more likely than the unimproved sources to have a higher proportion of samples that complied with the WHO drinking water guidelines at source, highlighting the importance of providing improved water sources. The lowest levels of faecal contamination were observed between the collection and storage points which coincided with the stage at which HWT is normally applied, suggesting an HWT effect on the water quality. All water sources had nitrate and turbidity levels that exceeded the WHO stipulated guidelines, while some of the improved and unimproved sources had higher than permissible levels of lead, manganese and aluminium. The water source category and the mouth type of the storage container were predictive of the stored water quality. The active treater households had a higher percentage of samples that complied with WHO water quality guidelines for E. coli than inactive treater households in both improved and unimproved source categories. In inactive treater households, 65% of storage container water samples from the improved sources complied with the WHO guidelines in comparison to 72% of the stored water samples in the active treater households. However the differences were not statistically significant. The HWT technologies did not attain sector standards of effective performance: in descending order, the mean log10 reduction in E. coli concentrations after treatment of water from unimproved sources was PUR (log₁₀ 2.0), ceramic filters (log₁₀ 1.57), Aquatab (log₁₀ 1.06) and Waterguard (log₁₀ 0.44). The mean log10 reduction in E. coli after treatment of water from improved sources was Aquatab (log₁₀ 2.3), Waterguard (log₁₀ 1.43), PUR (log₁₀ 0.94) and ceramic filters (log₁₀ 0.16). The HWT technologies reduced the user’s daily exposure to water-borne pathogens from both unimproved and improved drinking water sources. The mean difference in exposure after treatment of water from unimproved sources was ceramic filter (log₁₀ 2.1), Aquatab (log₁₀ 1.9), PUR (log₁₀ 1.5) and Waterguard (log₁₀ 0.9), in descending order. The mean probability of infection with water-borne pathogens (using E.coli as indicator) after consumption of treated water from both improved and unimproved sources was reduced in users of all the HWT technologies. The difference in reduction between technologies was not statistically significant. The study concluded that despite the apparent need for HWT, the study households’ inadequate knowledge, poor attitudes and unhygienic practices make it unlikely that they will use the technologies effectively to reduce microbial concentrations to the standards stipulated by accepted drinking water quality guidelines. The structured method of HWT promotion in the intervention villages had not resulted in more hygienic water and sanitation KAP in the IG compared to the CG, or significant differences in likelihood of adoption and compliance with the assessed HWT technologies. Despite attaching a high perceived value to HWT, insufficient knowledge about how to use the HWT technologies and user concerns about factors such as ease of use, accessibility and time to use will impact negatively on adoption and compliance with HWT, notwithstanding their efficacy during field trials. Even though external support had been withdrawn, the assessed HWT technologies were able improve the quality of household drinking water and reduce the exposure and risk of water-borne infections. However, the improvement in water quality and reduction in risk did not attain sector guidelines, highlighting the need to address the attitudes, practices and design criteria identified in this study which limit the adoption, compliance and effective use of these technologies. These findings have implications for HWT interventions, emphasising the need for practice-based behavioural support alongside technical support.

The demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management in Tanzania has been both praised and criticized; some see progress where others see increased inequalities. This study focuses on one progressive, demand-driven NGO which has a participatory approach to water resource development and management. This NGO, MSABI, is active in Kilombero Valley in southern Tanzania, and can be considered successful as it manages to keep 91 % of its water points functional, whilst the national average for pump functionality is just above 50 %. To study the performance of MSABI from a user perspective, it was decided that two sites in Kilombero Valley should be investigated in terms of users’ views on water access and quality. The identification of sites is based on population density and landcover change, so that the issues of scale and urban bias, as well as changes in the landscape affecting hydrological processes, are accounted for. In total, 29 interviews were conducted (October to November 2014), 15 at the Ifakara study site, the more densely populated location, and 14 at the Mchombe Ward study site. The interviews were semi-structured, using a participatory approach, focusing on users’ perspectives on water sources and the access to and quality of those water sources in dry and rainy seasons. The information gathered was used to construct definitions for water access and quality. These definitions, as well as the two locations and categorization of participants according to socio-economic status, were then used to sort and analyse the collected material. The results show that MSABI does not manage to make water accessible in an equitable way because of its demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management. However, MSABI offers the only improved water source at the Mchombe Ward study site, except for one improved open well. MSABI manages to counter urban-bias better than any of the other water resource development and management facilitators encountered at the two study sites. The seasons influence water access, especially at the more peripheral locations, where improved water sources are less common and, as open water sources, are more prone to drought and contamination. When participants in Ifakara seasonally migrate for farming, during 4-5 months per year, the majority’s access to improved water sources is lost. At the distant seasonal fields, open water sources are more common and few report that they treat the unsafe water. The migration to peripheral farmlands coincides with the rainy season, causing open water sources to have their lowest water quality when seasonal migrants utilize them. This underlines the importance of securing safe water supply for people at remote locations, and the important role MSABI plays as water resource developer at those locations. In conclusion, if the current demand-driven and participatory approach to water resource development and management is to be retained, regardless of the heavy criticism it has received with regards to equity, this study suggests that the practices of MSABI should be spread further based on MSABI’s ability to increase safe water access at remote locations. Another recommendation is to further look into the effects of seasonal migration on access to safe water. The effect seasonal migration has on water access in Kilombero could exist in other areas in Tanzania or in other countries. The aspect of seasonal migration might show that water access statistics are misleading, as the seasonal water consumption in remote locations risks being omitted in official statistics.

Saneamento ambiental é um dos mais importantes meios de controle da prevenção de doenças, de conservação do meio ambiente e de promoção da saúde. Porém, não é uma realidade em todas as partes do mundo, principalmente nos países em desenvolvimento, onde ainda se pode encontrar áreas urbanas densamente povoadas com precárias condições de saneamento, representando uma grande preocupação para os profissionais da área de saúde pública. Essa problemática revela-se particularmente importante para as pessoas que estão mais expostas a possíveis riscos de contaminação, devido à falta de infra-estrutura de saneamento, principalmente nos ambientes rurais. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a condição da qualidade da água utilizada para consumo humano, na comunidade da zona rural de Fortaleza de Minas - MG, por meio da identificação da origem, captação, tratamento, armazenamento e distribuição da água consumida e da análise dos seus parâmetros microbiológicos, físicos e químicos. Visou também levantar a percepção da população em relação à qualidade da água consumida. O estudo foi desenvolvido na Comunidade Rural do Bairro Chapadão do município, tendo sido utilizada a técnica de Tubos Múltiplos para as análises microbiológicas; para a identificação e quantificação dos metais, empregou-se a técnica de Espectrometria de Emissão Atômica - ICP-AES e, para os agrotóxicos, a técnica de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Também foram feitas entrevistas com 15 sujeitos da comunidade rural, incluídos neste estudo. Foi detectada a presença de Escherichia coli e Coliformes Totais em todas as amostras de água investigadas, acima do valor permitido pela Portaria do Ministério da Saúde - MS no 518/2004. Foram detectados valores acima do máximo permitido para turbidez, cor aparente e pH, previstos pela Portaria MS no 518/2004. A presença dos metais arsênio, cádmio, chumbo, cobre, cromo, ferro e manganês, em algumas amostras de água, apresentaram valores acima do permitido pela Portaria MS no 518/2004. Os agrotóxicos α e β-endossulfam e metalaxil não foram identificados nas amostras de água. O método de validação desenvolvido para análise dos agrotóxicos α e β-endossulfam e metalaxil foi considerado eficiente, podendo ser empregado em futuras análises para o monitoramento de α e β-endossulfam e metalaxil em água para consumo humano. Quanto à percepção dos sujeitos sobre a qualidade da água, foi levantado que 66,67% dos entrevistados não utilizavam nenhum tipo de tratamento para a água consumida, e o mesmo percentual referiu armazenar a água em caixas de amianto. Quando perguntados sobre a qualidade da água consumida, mesmo os 46,67% dos sujeitos que referiram considerar a água de boa qualidade, também destacaram não saber se a mesma continha \"veneno\". Os resultados evidenciam a importância do tratamento da água para consumo da população deste estudo, em conformidade com as normas contidas na Portaria MS no 518/2004, que estabelece procedimentos para controle e vigilância da qualidade da água para consumo humano, visando manter um padrão de potabilidade. Também revelam a necessidade de que as políticas públicas na área da saúde e meio ambiente encontrem medidas intersetoriais voltadas para as populações da zona rural, no que se refere ao saneamento ambiental, que é uma das principais bases da promoção da saúde humana.
Environmental sanitation is one of the most important means to control the prevention of diseases, the conservation of the environment, and the promotion of health. However, is not a reality in every part of the world, especially in the developing countries, where densely inhabited urban areas with precarious sanitation conditions can still be found, which represents a great concern to the professionals of public health. This problem revels itself particularly important to the people who are more exposed to possible risks of contamination, due to the lack of sanitation infrastructure, especially on rural environments. The purpose of this study is to verify the quality of the water used for human intake on the rural community if Fortaleza de Minas - MG, through the identification of the origin, captivation, treatment, storing and distribution of the water consumed, and the analysis of its microbiological, physical and chemical parameters. It also aimed to increase the population perception with regards to the quality of the consumed water. The study was developed in the Rural Community of the Chapadão neighborhood, using the Multiple Tubes technique for the microbiological analysis; for the identification and quantification of metals, the Spectrometry Atomic Emission - ICP-AES technique was used; and for the agro toxics, the high efficiency liquid chromatography technique was used. Interviews were made with 15 individuals from the rural community included in the study. The presence of Escherichia coli and Total Coliforms forms were detected in all the samples of the investigated water, above the permitted by the law 518/2004 of the Health Ministry - MS. Values above the permitted by the law 518/2004 of the Health Ministry were detected for turbidity, visible color and pH. The presence of the metals arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, iron and manganese in same of the water samples, were higher than the values permitted by the law 518/2004 of the Health Ministry. The agro toxics α and β-endossulfam and metalaxil were not identify in the water samples. The validation method developed for the analysis of the agro toxics α and β-endossulfam and metalaxil was considered efficient, allowing it to be used in future analysis for the monitoring of α and β-endossulfam and metalaxil in human consumed water. In regards to the perception of the individuals about the quality of the water, it was verified that 66,67% of the interviewed people did not used any kind of treatment for the water consumed, and the same percentage preferred to store the water in asbestos boxes. When asked about the quality of the water consumed, even the 46,67% of the individuals that preferred to consider the water of \"good quality\", emphasized not knowing if it contained \"poison\". The results show the importance of the treatment of the water for consume of this study population, jointly with precept contain in the Health Ministry law nº 518/2004, that establish procedures to control and watch the quality of the water for human consume, aiming to keep the pattern of potability. It also revel the necessity for public politics in the health and environmental departments to find joint measures focused on the countryside population, concerning the environmental sanitation, which is one of the bases for the promotion of human health.

The Green Drop Certification Programme, launched in 2008 alongside the Blue Drop Certification Programme, aims to provide the Department of Water Affairs with a national overview of how municipalities and their individual wastewater treatment works (WWTW) are complying with licence conditions set by the National Water Act (NWA) (No. 36 of 1998; DWAF 1998) and the Water Services Act (No. 108 of 1997; DWAF 1998). By publishing the results of each municipality’s performance, the programme aims to ensure continuous improvement in the wastewater treatment sector through public pressure. The programme has been identified by this project as a necessary linking tool between the NWA and the Water Services Act to ensure protection and sustainable use of South Africa’s natural water resources. It does this through assisting municipalities to improve their wastewater treatment operations which in theory will lead to discharged effluent that is compliant with discharge licence conditions. These discharge licences form part of the NWA’s enforcement tool of Source Directed Controls (SDC) which help a water resource meet the ecological goals set for it as part of Resource Directed Measures (RDM). The link between meeting the required SDC and achieving the RDM goals has never been empirically tested. This project aimed to determine the present ecological condition of the Uie River, a tributary of the Sundays River which the Sundays River Valley Municipality (SRVM) discharges its domestic effluent into. It then determined whether the SRVM’s WWTW was complying with the General Standard licence conditions and what the impact of the effluent on the river was through the analysis of monthly biomonitoring, water chemistry and habitat data. Lastly, the project examined the effectiveness of the Green Drop Certification Programme in bringing about change in the SRVM’s wastewater treatment sector, which previously achieved a Green Drop score of 5.6 percent. It wanted to examine the underlying assumption that a WWTW which improves its Green Drop score will be discharging a better quality effluent that will help a water resource meets the RDM goals set for it. The Kirkwood WWTW did not have a discharge licence at the time of assessment and was thus assessed under the General Standard licence conditions. It was found that the Kirkwood WWTW was not complying with the General Standard discharge licence conditions in the Uie River. This was having a negative impact on the river health, mainly through high concentrations of Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN-N), orthophosphate and turbidity. The SRVM should see an improvement in its Green Drop score for the Kirkwood WWTW. However, the municipality showed no implementation of necessary programmes. Implementation of these programmes would help the SRVM meet the General Standard licence conditions (part of SDC) which would help the Uie River meet the RDM goals set for it.

Em geral, a relação entre fatores ambientais e a saúde é de natureza sistêmica, envolvendo várias áreas do conhecimento. Um dos desafios dentro dessa questão são as abordagens integradas de avaliação em saúde ambiental, que reúnem dimensões técnico-operacionais, socioeconômicas e políticas, ultrapassando as avaliações que consideram apenas questões de exposição e efeito. O objetivo da presente tese foi avaliar, com base em abordagem de avaliação integrada em saúde ambiental, o impacto à saúde decorrente da implantação de intervenções em saneamento, em populações de comunidades localizadas em unidades de conservação de uso sustentável na região do Médio Juruá, no estado do Amazonas. O processo de avaliação foi amparado na abordagem metodológica Avaliação Integrada de Impacto em Saúde Ambiental (AIISA) e utilizou como principal instrumento conceitual o modelo de organização de indicadores Força Motriz-Pressão-Situação-Exposição-Efeitos-Ações (FPSEEA), aplicado em dois estágios bem definidos: i) Estágio Antes: período anterior à implantação das intervenções em saneamento nas comunidades estudadas e ii) Estágio Depois: período de pelo menos seis meses após a finalização da implantação e funcionamento das intervenções. Os resultados obtidos no componente de efeito a partir da comparação entre os dois estágios, que refletem os efeitos diretos na saúde, apontaram uma redução média de 65% da morbidade por diarreia, 22% da morbidade por parasitoses intestinais e aumento da qualidade de vida da população, representado por uma redução média de 63% de insatisfação com a comunidade e aumento de 100% da percepção da relação entre o aumento da qualidade de vida e o saneamento. Esses resultados indicam que houve impactos positivos à saúde da população decorrentes das intervenções em saneamento. O modelo FPSEEA utilizado trouxe informações que permitiram uma análise ampliada e em cadeia dos impactos da variação de cenários para exprimir esses efeitos positivos na saúde. Assim, foi possível realizar uma avaliação integrada do impacto de ações em saneamento na redução de doenças e no aumento da qualidade de vida das populações estudadas. Nesse processo avaliativo foi possível detectar de maneira consistente, dentro do contexto da área de estudo, que além dos efeitos na saúde, aspectos importantes na cadeia causal contribuíram de forma integrada para a expressão desse efeito. Em relação ao modelo FPSEEA aplicado no contexto da tese, concluímos que os pressupostos utilizados em sua concepção permitem que ajustes sejam feitos no modelo de acordo com o contexto para o qual o seu uso foi proposto, sendo possível validar e ajustar os elementos e indicadores do modelo proposto para o seu uso em outras propostas de avaliações integradas com enfoque nos impactos à saúde decorrentes de ações em saneamento. Dessa maneira, reforçamos que, mesmo diante da escala local dos resultados, o processo de avaliação contribuiu para auxiliar o planejamento de ações no campo do saneamento, viabilizando novos modelos de intervenções, redefinição de prioridades e redirecionamento de ações relacionadas ao saneamento e saúde, buscando a redução da pobreza, universalização do acesso ao saneamento e garantia dos direitos essenciais do cidadão com equidade no meio rural brasileiro.
In general , the relationship between environmental factors and health is systemic in nature , involving various fields of knowledge . One of the challenges of this issue involves integrated environmental health impact assessment approaches, which combine technical and operational, socio-economic and political dimensions, surpassing aproaches that consider only unicausualities of exposure and effect . The aim of this thesis was to evaluate , based on an integrated environmental health impact assessment , the health impact resulting from the implementation of water supply and sanitation interventions in populations of communities located in sustainable use forest reserves in the Middle Juruá river in state of Amazonas . The evaluation process was supported in methodological approach Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment (IEHIA) and used as the main conceptual framework a model for organizing indicators Driving Force - Pressure - Situation - Exposure - Effect - Action (DPSEEA) , applied in two well defined stages : i ) Before Stage : prior to the implementation of interventions in water supply and sanitation in the studied communities and ii ) After Stage : period of at least six months after implementaion and operation of the interventions . The results regarting the Effect component from the comparison between the two stages, which reflects directly the effect on health, , showed an average reduction of 65% in morbidity from diarrhea , 22 % of morbidity from intestinal parasites and an increased quality of life , represented by a mean reduction of 63 % of dissatisfaction with the community and 100% increase in the perception of the relationship between the increase in quality of life and sanitation. These results indicate that there were positive health impacts due to due the implemented interventions. The model DPSEEA used in this study brought information which enabeled the development of a broad and integrated analysis of the impacts of the variation in cenarios to express these positive health effects. Thus, it was possible to perform an integrated assessment of the impact of waster supply and sanitation interventions to reduce disease and increase the quality of life of the studied population. This evaluation process enabeled the cosistent detection, within the context of the study area, that in addition to the health effects , important aspects of the causal chain contributed in a integrated way to the expression of this effect . Regarding the DPSEEA model applied in the context of the thesis, we conclude that the assumptions used in its design allow adjustments to be made in accordance to the context for which the model is supposed to be used. This enables the validation and ajustment of the elements and indicators of the proposed model to allow its use in other Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment proposals which focus on health impacts of water supply and sanitation interventions. Thus, we reinforce that even with the local scale carcateristicas of our results, the evaluation process contributed to assist the planning of actions in the field of water supply and sanitation , enabling new models of interventions , redefining priorities and redirecting actions related to water supply and sanitation to increase health, reduce poverty, and ensure essential rights to citizens of rural areas of Brazil with equity.

International evidence clearly indicates that water shortages and the enhanced value attached to water and aquatic ecosystems are key concerns faced by many countries. International experience, since the mid-1980s, has emphasised the importance of addressing political, social, environmental and economic issues through active stakeholder participation in riverine and water resource management. These trends and issues are relevant to South Africa, where integrated water resource management (IWRM) is now a cornerstone of water resource policy and the National Water Act (NWA). Apartheid excluded communities in former homelands (racial reserves) from participation in IWRM. The research presented in this thesis was based on the search for philosophies and methods to involve the rural, former homeland people of the Kat River Valley in South Africa in IWRM. Post-modern, humanist and some logical positivist geographical philosophies were used during the research. This research applied Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) philosophy and methods and was influenced by the seminal work of Paolo Freire (1972). In addition, the use of innovative methods for engagement of the oppressed, using theatre methods developed by Augusto Boal (1995, 2000) was explored to add value to PRA. In addition, the application of Action Research ensured that community participants were actively involved in the research being conducted for this thesis. The applied research in the Kat River Valley in South Africa evolved through three key phases. In Phase One quantifiable data on the Kat River Valley and its residents was sought. This investigation did not empower the resident communities of Fairbairn and Hertzog – a lesson that influenced the move to more participatory methods in subsequent phases of the research. Lessons learned from using surveys encouraged exploration of participatory methods to enable participants to become “co-learners”. Phase Two of the research commenced with a series of feedback meetings, in which participants recognised that they faced an environmental crisis. Through a series of participatory workshops, residents came to acknowledge and affirm their environmental knowledge. Residents then committed themselves to gaining a deeper understanding of their environment and their lives. My role changed from that of a researcher to a facilitator. Phase Three of the research and the shift to Action Research commenced after local residents identified the need to personally take charge of their environmental challenges in the Kat River Valley and recognised the need to collaborate at a catchment scale for effective IWRM. This eventually led to the formation of a Water User Association and Catchment Forum. The key theoretical contribution of the thesis relates to the identified relationship between the development orientation and ecological paradigm, and an assessment of the impact this has on the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes of IWRM. This theoretical contribution is equally valid in other countries, where the tradeoffs are essentially the same, but the framework for making the choices is different because of varying socio-economic and biophysical circumstances

The purpose of this dissertation was to identify factors that contribute to the sustainability of rural water supply facilities (WSFs). Twenty-four interviews were conducted: 16 from rural communities and 8 from water supply agencies. Key findings are that in order to achieve sustainability of WSFs, there is need to ensure that (1) there is an effective community organisation; (2) communities have the ability to operate and maintain WSFs; (3) communities are able to raise adequate user fees for purchasing spare parts; and (4) that there is a strong backup support at the district level to carry out major repairs. Major threats to the sustainability of WSFs include high poverty levels in communities, weak institutional framework and inability of communities to handle major breakdowns.
Social Work
M.A. (Social Work)

Since the establishment of a democratic South Africa in 1994, a number of rural water supply schemes have been implemented. A specific aim of these schemes is to improve the health of the population. The underlying assumption is that a supply of reticulated water will improve the quality of water used by the community, reduce the exposure of the community to contaminated water supplies, and reduce water related diseases, in particular diarrhoea. This research thesis focuses on two rural water supply schemes in KwaZulu-Natal: Mpolweni and Vulindlela, both being developed by Umgeni Water, the regional water utility. These communities depended variously on rivers, rain harvesting, and springs for their water supply. For sanitation, the majority of people used unimproved pit latrines. This research thesis is based on information gathered from the communities prior to the installation of the water supply schemes. It focuses on the linkage between water supply and health by examining diarrhoeal morbidity as a measurable disease outcome and by identifying possible pathways to the prevalence of diarrhoea. Questionnaire and observational surveys were undertaken of 181 households in Mpolweni and 100 households in Vulindlela. From these surveys, the prevalence of diarrhoea in Vulindlela households was found to be 40.4% and in Mpolweni to be 49%. Children under the age of five years old are the most vulnerable, with 20.1% of children in Mpolweni and 21 .3% of children in Vulindlela reported as having had diarrhoea in the recall period prior to the surveys. The Mpolweni study considered eighty exposure variables, finding an association between diarrhoeal disease and sixteen of these variables (p value < 0.05). The Vulindlela study considered fifty-five exposure variables, of which eight were considered significant (p value < 0.05). In regard to water and diarrhoea: • no association was found between the prevalence of diarrhoea and the source of water in either Mpolweni or Vulindlela. • using water to wash nappies was associated with diarrhoeal disease in Vulindlela. However, it is postulated that it is the faecal contamination in the nappy, rather than the water, that is problematic. No association between water use and diarrhoea was established in Mpolweni. • poor disinfection of stored water supplies was associated with diarrhoeal disease in both Mpolweni and Vulindlela. In addition, the use of plastic storage containers to store water at the household provided additional risk in Mpolweni. However, once the reticulated system is installed, the communities are likely to continue to store water due to a distrust of the reliability of water supply. The above surveys form the baseline for additional studies currently being undertaken by Umgeni Water that are intended to measure the effectiveness of the water supply schemes on community health. However, from this thesis, it is concluded that many of the risk factors associated with diarrhoeal disease in both Vulindlela and Mpolweni will not directly be addressed by the introduction of the water supply schemes.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

M.Sc.
The world is focusing on increasing the number of people who have access to safe drinking water due to the ascending numbers of drinking water related illnesses reported annually in rural areas where water is not treated before consumption. To meet this goal, household water treatment has to be introduced especially in places where homes are wide apart making centralised water treatment improbable. Most readily available household water treatment systems (HWTS) such as membrane filters may not be affordable in rural areas due to power requirements and degree of ability to use and maintain them. This study was therefore aimed at designing and constructing HWTS using readily available material such as sand, gravel, zeolites and clays. Five HWTS were designed, built, evaluated and compared based on their ability to remove chemical contaminants such as iron, arsenic and fluorides from drinking water. The types of filters that were used during this study are the biosand filter (BSF), a modified biosand filter with zeolites (BSFZ), a silver impregnated porous pot (SIPP) filter, a ceramic candle filter (CCF) and a bucket filter (BF). Effectiveness of the filters in reducing physical parameters such as turbidity and visual colour was also assessed. The water treatment devices had the following flow rates; 1.74 L/h – 19.20 L/h (BSFZ), 0.81 L/h – 6.84 L/h (BSF), 0.05 L/h – 2.49 L/h (SIPP) and 1.00 L/h – 4.00 L/h (CCF). The flow rates were high at the early stages of filter use and decreased with increase in the volume of water filtered through. The flow rates of the filters were affected by the turbidity of intake water which was between 1.74 NTU – 42.93 NTU and correlated to chlorophyll a concentrations. The household water treatment technologies reduced turbidity to levels less than 1 NTU (> 90% reduction) in the following order SIPP > BSFZ > BSF > CCF > BF. The filters achieved greater than 60% retention of calcium, magnesium, iron and arsenic. These contaminants with the exception of arsenic were reduced to acceptable levels of the South African National Standard of drinking water (SANS 241, 2004). Compared to the other filters, the BSFZ performed better in removing nitrates, phosphates and fluorides although the overall retention efficiency was low. Total organic carbon was removed greatly by the CCF (39%) and the least removal was by the BF. The overall performance of the filters in reducing contaminants from drinking water was in the order BSFZ > BSF > SIPP > CCF > BF. Filter washing vi resulted in an overall increase in the flow rates of the filters but negatively affected turbidity reduction. The filters still removed contaminants after total cumulative volumes of 1200 L (BSFZ, BSF, CCF and BF) and 300 L (SIPP) were filtered through the devices. The five evaluated filters have several advantages to the readily available technologies and the advantages include ease of construction, operation and maintenance. The filters are gravity driven and work independent of temperature. These HWTS incorporate safe storages fitted with spigots to eliminate recontamination of water when it is drawn for use. The filters can produce enough drinking and cooking water for a family of six members due to their high flow rates. The BSFZ, BSF, SIPP, CCF and BF may therefore be considered for treating contaminated water at household scale in places where water is taken directly from the source without treatment.

Water in 70 percent of the cities in the United States is hard enough that softening is either required or recommended. It is estimated that approximately 30 percent of all homes in the United States use water softeners. Water softeners, the cation exchange types suited for residential use, exchange sodium for the calcium and magnesium in water. The increase in sodium levels in the softened water caused by cation exchange softening is a direct function of the hardness level of the untreated water. For people who use groundwater, which has a relatively high level of naturally occurring sodium, magnesium and calcium, the additional sodium from cation exchange water softeners may create health hazards for the general population and could adversely affect those who are sensitive to salt or on low sodium diets. To prevent potential health hazards for the general population, no consumption of softened water by cation exchange water softeners should be recommended. If soft water is needed for some practical reasons, a "Separate Water Line System" should be recommended for homeowners.
Graduation date: 1991

Water is both a human right and a valuable commodity. Access to water for the rural poor is an international development concern that has been highlighted by the Millennium Development Goals adopted at the Millennium Summit in 2000 in Dublin, Ireland. South Africa's Free Basic Water policy is the government's response to assuring access to water for all - especially those who cannot pay. The policy, however, is required to work within an economic framework that promotes cost recovery and privatisation. The Free Basic Water Policy was officially implemented in July 2001. The policy was rolled out in most urban areas on or near this date. However, in rural areas it has proven much more difficult, and there are many areas that have not yet seen the implementation of Free Basic Water (FBW). This is partly due to varying financial, technical, political and logistical problems at the local and district municipality level. This research investigates the current situation in rural municipalities, looking specifically at FBW policy, institutional arrangements, operation and maintenance costs, cost per capita and affordability in relation to the Equitable Share allocations. Five case studies - compiled through interviews, document analyses, Participatory Rural Appraisal, and workshops provide a broad scale research base from which to analyse the current implementation of FBW in rural municipalities and ascertain whether this policy is affordable at this level. Water Service Authorities (WSA) are at varying levels of implementation, with few having a fully operational policy that is reaching rural areas. A costing exercise revealed that the service delivery price of water varies, but does follow a trend. From this trend a benchmark cost per capita of R5.84/month was determined. This price, although low, is not currently affordable in some municipalities due to insufficient government grants from National Treasury. These grants are fundamental to the sustainability of FBW and the situation must be resolved if FBW is to reach its target market - the poorest of the poor. The mixed success in the implementation of Free Basic Water in rural areas of South Africa should not be taken as indicative of future trends. As the local government transition to newly devolved powers and functions is completed, the capacity at this level to resolve the challenges is more likely. Subject to the continued strength of the South African economy, this policy could be a solution to the historical failure of service delivery to rural areas.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The purpose of this study was to explore and understand how policies and legislative frameworks impact on the planning for water provision in rural areas, and in particular, the Makosha village in the Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province. The research method used was qualitative, which is exploratory, descriptive and conceptual in nature. The sample selection method was purposive since it was targeting specific people. Data were collected from a focus group and individuals through in-depth interviews. The findings of the study for the focus group were presented under the following themes:- Problems related to water provision; problems related to rights; communication between the municipality and the community; and respondents’ envisaged recommendations related to problems of water supply. The findings for the individual interviews were also presented under the following themes: - The district municipality’s expression of its difficulties when providing water; and planning. The results of the study provide evidence that water provision in rural areas is still a challenge. Mopani District municipality does not have the capacity to provide water. Water sources in the Greater Giyani municipality are not able to provide water to the various villages due to inadequate infrastructure. In the Makosha village, technical challenges are a cause of the problem. Illegal connections, lack of public participation in water provisioning activities and lack of skills in water provision were also identified as a cause of the problem. It is noted that the use of the Water Service Development Plan (WSDP) and the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), as planning tools, were not properly implemented. The study recommends that planning for water provision should be in line with the various legislative frameworks put in place in the country. The two planning tools, i.e. Water Service Development Plan (WSDP) and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) must be used in planning for water provision in all municipalities which are either a water service authority (WSA) or a water service provider (WSP). The capacity of the municipality should be improved in terms of skilled human resources, financial resources and infrastructural development. The Water Services and local government sectors should create a culture of public participation in the activities of the municipality. Monitoring and Evaluation should form an integral part of project implementation.
Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

In the context of the post-apartheid era and under the new Government of National Unity, the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) was initiated in 1994. To assist in the realisation of the goals of this programme the macro-economic strategy, Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR), was implemented in 1996. It was within these frameworks that the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) launched its Working for Water (WFW) programme in October 1995. This programme was based on three pillars, namely: enhancing water supply and water security; creating jobs, building communities and improving quality of life and; conserving ecological functioning and biological diversity. Since October 1995 the Working for Water Programme has created 42 059 jobs, 220 884 hectares have been cleared with follow-up clearing in 55 731 hectares as part of the programme strategy to enhance water supply. Investment has been made in 240 projects, with a budget of R365 147 259 as at 31 March 1998. The impact of the Turn Table Trust WFW Project, a sub-project of the Central Umkomaas WFW Project, was examined in terms of fuelwood supply and household income of three small rural communities, namely: Xosheyakhe, Intabamakhaba and Mkhohlwa, referred to in this dissertation as the Rural Bulwer community. The research was carried out by means of questionnaire interviews and a workshop held at the Pholela Tribal court. The results of this study indicate that the Bulwer community depend on four energy types, in order of importance; wood, paraffin, dung and electricity. Many of the households perceive that, since the Turn Table Trust WFW Project began in the area in November 1995, there is less wood available and trees which are used for fuelwood are being cleared. Certain areas have felt the impacts of the clearingprogramme. People who have access to electricity still rely on fuelwood as they can not afford to use electricity exclusively. Indigenous forests are important as a source of fuelwood and for the harvesting of medicinal plants. The indigenous forests could be put under severe stress if wattle becomes unavailable forfuelwood purposes. The impact of the Turn Table Trust WFW Project on the fuelwood supply of the Bulwer community is small at present, but likely to increase. Households that have members employed by the Project, rely on this income to cover most household expenses. These households struggle to survive if or when employment by the Turn Table Trust WFW Project is periodically terminated. The businesses in Bulwer have also come to rely on the income earned by those employed by the Project. The Working for Water programme has far reaching implications for a local community and its surrounds and these need to be taken into account when both beginning and, importantly, ending a project in an area.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

The connection between water and human wellbeing is increasingly causing concern about the implications of water scarcity on poverty. The primary fear is that water scarcity may not only worsen poverty, but may also undermine efforts to alleviate poverty and food insecurity. A review of literature revealed that the relationship between water scarcity and poverty is a complex one, with water scarcity being both a cause and consequence of poverty. Furthermore, water scarcity is multidimensional, which makes it difficult to define, while it can also vary considerably, both temporally and spatially. Finally, the relationship between water scarcity and poverty is a difficult one to quantify. Within the context of water scarcity, indicators are viewed by many development analysts as appropriate tools for informing and orienting policy-making, for comparing situations and for measuring performance. However, simplistic traditional indicators cannot capture the complexity of the water-poverty link; hence a proliferation of more sophisticated indicators and indices since the early 1990s. The Water Poverty Index (WPI), one of these new indices, assesses water scarcity holistically. Water poverty derives from the conceptualisation of this index which relates dimensions of poverty to access to water for domestic and productive use. However, the WPI has not been applied extensively at meso-catchment scale, the scale at which water resources managers operate. In South Africa, the Thukela Catchment -in the province of KwaZulu-Natal presents a unique opportunity to assess the WPI at this scale. The Thukela is a diverse catchment with respect to physiography, climate and (by extension) natural vegetation, land use, demography, culture and economy. While parts of the catchment are suitable for intensive agricultural production and others are thriving economic centres, a large percentage of the population in the catchment lives in poverty in high risk ecosystems, with their vulnerability exacerbated by policies of the erstwhile apartheid government. Many rural communities, a high percentage of which occupy these naturally harsh areas, have low skills levels, with a high proportion of unemployed people, low or no income and low services delivery. Infrastructural development, which relates to municipal service delivery, is often made prohibitively expensive by the rugged terrain in which many people live. As in other catchments in South Africa, the Thukela is affected by policies and initiatives aimed at accomplishing the objectives of post-1994 legislation such as the South Africa Constitution and the National Water Act. The potential of the WPI to assess the impacts of these initiatives on human wellbeing and to inform decision .making in the Thukela catchment was investigated. An analysis of a 46 year long series of monthly summations of daily values of streamflows output by the ACRU agrohydrological simulation model has shown that the Thukela, in its entirety , is a water-rich catchment. The reliability of the streamflows, which has implications for communities who collect water directly from 1 streams, is high along main channels but can be considerably less along low order tributaries of the main streams. The flow reliability along the small tributaries is less in winter than in summer. A high percentage of the catchment's population, in addition to being poor and not having access to municipal services, live near, and rely on, the small tributaries for their water supplies. Admittedly, this analysis addresses only one dimension of water poverty, viz. physical water shortage. Nevertheless, the study revealed that despite the Thukela's being a water-rich catchment, many communities are still water stressed. A more holistic characterisation of the water scarcity situation in the Thukela catchment was achieved using the WPI. A review of possible information sources for computing the WPI in South Africa found that many monitoring programmes, information systems and databases are either in existence and are active, or being restructured, or are under different stages of development. If and when they are all fully functional , they should be able to support national assessments of the WPI at meso-scale without the need to collect additional information. A combination of information from some of the active databases and secondary data from other local studies was used to compute the WPI in the Thukela catchment. The assessment uncovered the following: • There is an apparent association between water poverty and socio-economic disadvantage in the Thukela catchment. • There was an improvement in the water poverty situation in most parts of the Thukela catchment between 1996 and 2001, although the degree of improvement varied from subcatchment to subcatchment. Climate change, if it manifests itself by higher temperatures and reduced rainfall, will most likely worsen water poverty throughout the Thukela catchment, with the subcatchments in which many of the poor communities are located being more likely to experience the most severe impacts as the coping capacities of those communities are already strained under current climatic conditions. The findings of this study illustrate the potential of WPI as a tool for informing decision making and policy evaluation at the meso-catchment scale at which many water-related decisions are made.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This thesis examines the historical introduction and spatial expansion of modern water supply infrastructure in Amhara region across the three successive regimes: imperial, military, and EPRDF. It attempts to explore the institutional setup of the three governments together with their policies and strategies. The study also aims at giving an idea about the socio-economic changes registered because of improved access to safe water. Furthermore, it assesses the water consumption and conservation pattern of the society and the environmental impact of the water infrastructure development. Modern infrastructure development in Ethiopia traced its beginning back to the late 19th century. Safe drinking water supply had been one of those modern infrastructures introduced in Addis Ababa. Not long afterwards, it proliferated to the provinces. In Amhara region, drinking water supply infrastructure construction began in the early 20th century. However, this thesis inquired whether there was a programmed water supply infrastructure development before the mid-1950s or not. The water supply work started gaining momentum and became a state program in the late imperial period. However, it was affected by financial, technological and trained human resource constraints, lack of appropriate institution, defective management systems, and improper implementation methods. The military government had strengthened water supply institutions and improved workers' expertise. These developments helped the water supply infrastructure work to be executed in a programmed manner. Yet, financial restraints, the incessant political chaos of the time and the accompanied disruptive working environment had greatly impacted the temporal and spatial coverage of the water supply infrastructure development. The promising start of the Derg period did not continue with similar pace during the early years of the EPRDF rule. Despite the efforts made to set up water institutions at Regional, Zonal and Woreda (district) levels, no significant achievement was recorded in the field. The aftermath of the civil war together with internal and external challenges epitomized the transition period had impinged on the water supply work. This thesis testifies to the emergence of some socio-economic changes in the region. Yet, the slow progress of the water supply infrastructure work had stalled the socio-economic change that should have been registered through improved access to safe water supply. Despite the observable environmental degradation, the thesis argues that the retarded water supply work had nothing to do with the dearth of fresh water. While the trend shows steady growth of water consumption level across the three regimes, the conservation habit of the population remained low.
D.Litt. et Phil. (History)

Thesis (M. Com. (Economics))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic & Business Sciences, 2017
This study establishes the causal impact of piped water access on child health in rural South Africa (2008 – 2015) through the use of a panel dataset and a quasi-experimental sample space. By employing an ordinal measure of child health as the dependent variable within ordinal probit, fixed and random effects, propensity-score matched difference-in-difference and system-GMM estimators, it is demonstrated that positive health benefits for children with access to piped water are observed if and only if the minimum level of educational attainment of the primary-caregiver is equal to or greater than 7 years. This finding of complementarity is demonstrated to be a function of an individual’s (in)capacity to evaluate water quality: people below this threshold suffer from a piped water bias, place insufficient weight on the observable characteristics of water when determining water quality and are subsequently less likely to treat piped water preceding consumption. The interactional effect estimates are statistically significant at the 5% level with the impact ranging from 1.617 to 2.008 levels.
GR2018

NCRP report No.160 states that medical exposure increased to nearly half of the total radiation exposure of the U.S. population from all sources in 2006 (NCRP 2009). Part of this increase in exposure is due to the rise in nuclear medicine procedures. With this observed growth in medical radionuclide usage, there is an increase in the radionuclide being released into wastewater after the medical procedures. The question then arises: what is the behavior of medical radionuclides and their impurities in the wastewater process? It is important to note that, often, medical radionuclides are not exactly 100% radionuclide pure, but they meet a certain standard of purity. Of particular interest are the longer lived impurities associated with these medical radionuclides. The longer lived impurities have a higher chance of reaching the environment. The goal of this study is to identify the behavior of medical radionuclides and their impurities associated with some of the more common radiopharmaceuticals, including Tc-99m and I-131, and locate and quantify levels of these impurities in municipal wastewater and develop a model that can be used to estimate potential dose and risk to the public.
Graduation date: 2012
Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from May 24, 2012 - May 24, 2014

Water is an indispensable basic human need which is protected by several provisions within legislation. However, despite extensive legislation access to water is problematic for many rural schools in South Africa. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and national goals that are time bound are not possible with the structural barriers that loom. This research study, sketches the experiences of learners and educators who have been exposed to poor access to water within a rural primary school in Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This research study employs a qualitative research paradigm using a case study method to provide an in-depth understanding of the schooling context where there is poor access to water. The main aim was to explore in-depth how the schooling community is affected and what coping strategies are employed to deal with poor access to water. The research study was approached using ecological systems and social justice perspectives. Findings suggest that the consequences of poor access to water at school level are numerous and become even more complex when there is a lack of water at community level. In a compounding manner the consequences have the potential to, in the long term, have irreversible negative effects on learners and their potential to access quality education. Furthermore educators and management are placed in an invidious position to accommodate the challenges associated with poor access to water at school as part of their everyday teaching routine. Educators are failing to teach and learners are failing to learn thus the education system is rendered dysfunctional. The recommendations echo those of the participants who maintain that the community and the school must have access to water in order to improve the quality of life of all. Changes at the structural level in terms of how access to education is defined are a necessity. Co-operative governance, more stringent monitoring and evaluation of the education system, approaching education from a child-friendly perspective, adopting a human rights approach to fiscal spending and the involvement of chapter 9 institutions to ensure social justice are examples of the structural changes required and are part of the recommendations.
Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

The aim of this study was to assess the environmental sanitation conditions with regard to water, sanitation, waste management and personal hygiene of households of Dukem town in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct the research. A total of 391 households had participated in the study. Majority of households had access to improved source of drinking water. The mean per capita per day water consumption of the households was low. Two-thirds of households had improved toilet facilities. Availability of improved waste management was grossly inadequate. Two-thirds of households had washed hands after visiting toilet. Generally households had good domestic environmental sanitation conditions but it also emerged that the households were deprived from full range of access to the most essential environmental sanitation services. Therefore, the inadequate level of service to the study area could be seen as opportunity for further focused improvements towards universal access to improved environmental sanitation.
Health Studies
M.A. (Public Health)

China's Minqin Oasis once welcomed traders along the ancient Silk Road with rivers, lakes, and lush forests, yet today the region's farmland and grassland are increasingly being engulfed by the sands of the Gobi Desert. The severity of this incremental catastrophe for a declining population of 300,000 residents has brought forth a host of recent water policies to include agronomic water conservation through plastic mulch use, computerized regulation and pricing of groundwater, and water diversions from the Yellow River. This study uses a multi-disciplinary and mixed methods approach to better understand farmer perspectives on why they implement certain water and land use practices in agriculture. The world's farmers currently use the majority of the world's available freshwater and arable land. Modern agriculture and its continued intensification also lead to increases in petroleum based inputs such as agrochemicals and agricultural plastics (plasticulture). Despite the large of impact of the decisions made by the world's farmers on natural resources, little research to date has sought to better understand farmers' perceptions and decision-making processes. Plastic film mulch is a technology that has existed since the 1940's and it has been used in places such as rural China for over five decades. This technology conserves a considerable amount of irrigation water and it increases harvests, however, use of plastic for mulch causes waste disposal problems and is an expenditure of petroleum through plastic manufacturing. Without a fundamental understanding of why farmers perceive plastic mulch to be valuable to their households and communities, we may not fully grasp why its global application continues to increase year after year. Moreover, a focused study of plastic mulch use at the local level may also allow researchers and entrepreneurs to develop a suitable alternative mulch that does not consume non-renewable resources or result in detrimental plastic waste after its utility has been exhausted. This study uses household level interviews, surveys, and participant observation to better understand why Minqin County farmers in rural China continue to use plastic mulch and how it may influence their standard of living.
Graduation date: 2013

Botswana is a water scarce country. Rainfall is highly variable, leading to limited surface and groundwater resources. Due to persistently dry conditions most rivers found in Botswana are ephemeral. The Boteti River sub-Basin is one of the numerous ephemeral river sub-Basins, in Botswana. Key environmental challenges, resulting from human activities, in the sub-Basin are: increased pressure on local resources due to overstocking, overgrazing and over-harvesting; reductions in wildlife numbers; denudation of vegetation and the resultant exposure of the soil to wind erosion. As a major step, to pilot implementation of river basin management in the ephemeral river basins in southern Africa, the Boteti River sub-Basin is one of the key areas identified for study under the Ephemeral River Basins in the Southern African Development Community SADC (ERBSADC) Project. This study was initiated, as part of the ERB-SADC project and its aim is to investigate the socio-economic status of the Boteti River sub-Basin and determine the potential for developing integrated management of water and land resources in the sub- Basin. Its key objectives are to identify and assess types and patterns of water use; to identify and assess key livelihood activities; and to critically assess community participation in water resources management in the sub-Basin. A questionnaire was administered to 293 households, a focus group discussion was held with twelve community representatives of six villages in the sub-Basin, six traditional leaders and five local government officers were interviewed as key informants, and informal discussions were held with three local farmers. Results from the study indicate low livelihood levels based on livestock and arable agriculture, high dependence on natural resources and low participation of communities in water management. The study concludes that a livelihood approach to integrated water resources management can help deal with environmental challenges and enhance community participation.
Environmental Sciences
Thesis (M.A. (Environmental Science))

This thesis explores questions of gender equality in social welfare theory; methodologies; approaches and policymaking in the Global South in the context of land reforms. This stems from the realisation that gender equality issues in social welfare are increasingly receiving greater attention in the context of the Global North and less in the South. By adopting a Transformative Social Policy framework, the research departs from hegemonic livelihoods, poverty reduction and the ‘classical models’ of land reforms often designed from the mould of the neoliberal discourse of individual tenure to focus on land reform as a relational question. Empirical data was gathered using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach involving survey questionnaires; in-depths interviews; focus group discussions; key informant interviews and field observations. A total of 105 randomly selected households, comprising 56 male-headed households (MHHs) and 49 female-headed households (FHHs) participated in the quantitative component of the study, comprising a control group of nonland reform beneficiaries. Additionally, 30 purposively selected in-depths interviews comprising 20 FHHs and 10 MHHs were conducted in resettlement study sites. Findings from this this study indicates that despite the country’s depressed economic environment and the effects of climate change, transfer of land enhanced the productive capacities of individuals and rural households, including those headed by females. At micro-level, in-kind transfer of land to rural households proved to be a more superior social protection measure compared to either food or cash transfer. However, social relations and institutions proved resistant to change, posing a greater obstacle to social transformation. And more importantly, from a social reproductive perspective, the same land reform that enhanced the productive capacities of women, inadvertently, increased their social reproductive work with implications on the welfare of women relative to men. The thesis makes a contribution to social policy debates in Africa, which hitherto have been dominated by the introduction of cash transfers as witnessed in many countries across the continent. The transformative social policy approach brings novelty to the study of land reforms. By Conceptualising gender as a relational and social construct, the study adds knowledge on the nexus between gender, land reform and welfare using the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) as reference. With the FTLRP––as a leftist policy in a liberalised economy––there is a need for the government to re-align its social and economic policies to avoid inconsistencies in the country’s development path. On the gender front there is need to legislate resettlement areas as outside the jurisdiction of traditional structures; promulgate statutory instruments dealing with land and setting up designated land claims courts linked right up to the Constitutional Court. Specifically, for Chiredzi, there is a need to establish a corporate body to administer the affairs of Mkwasine following the pulling out of the Estate. Keywords: gender, land reforms, water reforms, transformative
Sociology
Ph. D. (Sociology)

The Safe Drinking Water Act ensures that public systems provide water that meets health standards. However, no such protection exists for millions of Americans who obtain water from private wells. Concern for safety is warranted as most wells draw from underground aquifers, and studies demonstrate that groundwater is affected by a range of contaminants, most often nitrate. Oregon's Domestic Well Testing Act (DWTA) links well testing to property sales, enabling continuous data collection by the State. This research addresses a need for identifying datasets for characterizing exposure to private well contaminants by evaluating DWTA data for use in a sentinel surveillance system. Validation of DWTA data was accomplished by developing a land use regression (LUR) model based on agricultural nitrogen inputs and soil leachability to predict nitrate concentrations in well water. Geographic information systems (GIS) were used to advance methods for high resolution spatial modeling of fertilizer and manure nitrogen with statewide coverage. Hazard mapping with these datasets suggests that nearly half of recently drilled wells are susceptible to nitrate contamination. Spearman's rank correlation demonstrated a significant correlation between LUR-predicted nitrate levels and levels reported in the DWTA dataset. These results suggest that DWTA data is valid for use in a sentinel surveillance system, such that evidence of nitrate contamination in a single well may indicate an area-wide health hazard. However, a low fraction of variance explained by the LUR model highlighted the need for specific improvements to datasets crucial for understanding nitrate contamination in well water, including the DWTA.
Graduation date: 2012

Access to safe water and improved sanitation remains threatened by the ever increasing demand in urbanised cities of the world. Adequate management of this problem could not be achieved through technical and regulatory methods alone. A human values-based education approach, namely the Human Values Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education (HVWSHE) programme, was considered a suitable intervention strategy to bring about the desired changes in attitude and behaviour by the water users. This research involves an empirical case study approach that explores the experiences of Laotian teachers as adult learners of the HVWSHE intervention as well as a literature study on adult education, adult learning facilitation, human values-based education and teacher beliefs. Focus group meetings, lesson observations, participant observation, field notes and a researcher journal was used to collect data. This study revealed that the HVWSHE training programme had a positive effect on the adult learners’ attitude and behaviour towards a better water-use and sanitation-friendly ethic.
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (Adult Education)

This study aims at investigating household food accessibility categories (food insecure, vulnerable, marginal and food secure) of rural households in Sekhukhune district of Limpopo province. The study is based on five wards in Mamone village in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Ten households from each ward were randomly selected for the study. Structured questionnaires administered by enumerators were used to collect information from household heads. In all 50 household heads constitutes the sample size for the study. Data was collected from 20 August 2007 to 25 August 2007. Responses in the questionnaires were tabulated, coded and processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme. Based on comprehensive food security and vulnerability analysis the study showed that over 70 per cent of the sampled households were food insecure. Lack of education, income sources, water source, and infrastructure were some of the important factors contributing to food insecurity. The government should also give special attention to policy measures that guide towards the provision of household assets. It is recommended that special attention be given to measures that will provide the necessary factors that negatively affect household food security and vulnerability.
Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology
M.A. (Human Ecology)