Improving existing water supply systems to enhance water availability and accessibility in rural communities : a case of the Mankweng Cluster, Polokwane Municipality, South Africa

Abstract

Water supply systems play a crucial role in distributing and providing water for domestic, irrigation and industrial use. Water supply systems have existed for centuries. Right from antiquity, ancient civilisations across the globe developed intricate water supply systems, such as aqueducts, qanats, canals, furrows and terraces for irrigation and drinking water supply. The beginning of the second half of the 19th century witnessed the introduction of centralised water supply systems, such as dams, taps, reservoirs, water treatment systems and pipelines. Many developing countries, including South Africa, are currently dependent on centralised systems for water provisioning; however, the limitations of these systems are becoming increasingly obvious. Many rural communities still lack access to safe drinking water, due to shortages associated with existing water supply systems. This is a prominent issue in the Mankweng Cluster of the Polokwane Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa, where the communities are experiencing water scarcity due to poor water supply systems. The communities primarily rely on dams, water treatment plants, household and communal taps, and boreholes, but these systems are not adequate to supply potable water to the communities. The Municipality’s water tankers are ineffective in mitigating water scarcity. These water tankers often do not arrive on time, if at all, and the water they provide is usually insufficient to meet the demand or address the population issues. Owing to these challenges, some community members resort to sourcing water from unprotected ponds and rivers, which are often contaminated, thus posing a risk to human health. This study investigates the existing water supply systems and suggests how they can be improved to enhance water availability and accessibility in the Mankweng Cluster of the Polokwane Municipality. The study will hopefully contribute to the body of knowledge on the importance of enhancing the sustainable management of municipal water supply systems, which play a vital role in water availability and accessibility, thus addressing economic water scarcity in rural communities. This study employed a mixed-methods approach for the collection of empirical data, where questionnaires and interviews were conducted with the participants of the study. Data was collected from 200 households across seven wards, and key stakeholders, including municipal officiail and ward councillors, were interviewed. IBM SPSS and Excel spreadsheets were used to analyse quantitative questionnaire data using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and the Chi-Square test. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative interview data, for coding, creating themes, and continuously comparing new data with the existing codes and themes to refine the analysis. The result revealed that the existing challenges facing water supply systems in the Mankweng Cluster are the major cause of economic water scarcity. Existing water supply systems in the Mankweng Cluster suffer from ageing infrastructure, vandalism, illegal connections, leaks, poor maintenance, and the impact of load-shedding and population growth. As a result, the majority of households in the Mankweng Cluster spend weeks and months without access to water. This leads to societal unrest and strikes, further affecting service delivery, as the residents damage roads and other public infrastructure. The study recommends expanding and improving water supply systems to include marginalised areas, thereby enhancing water supply and eradicating water scarcity in Polokwane Municipality’s Mankweng Cluster. As part of the objectives, the study recommends the implementation of a Rotational-Monocrystalline Solar Panel System (RMSPS) to upgrade the existing boreholes, which are dependent on manual pumping, electricity, and diesel for groundwater supply. Furthermore, the study recommends that both the residents of the Mankweng Cluster and the Polokwane Municipality take part in investing in the sustainability and resilience of water supply systems. As a result, there should be improved public participation in water services to raise awareness of the importance of water supply systems to improve the community’s ownership to protect and manage the infrastructures that benefit the people. The Municipality, together with the ward councillors and other key stakeholders, are encouraged to work collectively, monitor, and respond effectively to reported faults and illegal connections. Ultimately, the implementation of these recommendations is essential to achieving a sustainable water supply system and advancing rural development in the Mankweng Cluster and similar underserved communities.