Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Water authorities'

Price has been noted to be an important ingredient in any evaluation of future water demands, since it is a signal of cost administered by water wholesalers or retailers. The purpose of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of rates and ratesetting strategies adopted by the river authorities of Texas, and the relevance of economic efficiency for wholesale purveyors of water. Methods employed to accomplish the objectives include collecting sample water supply contracts, surveying rate structures, and surveying authorities' rate-setting objectives. In its current form the economic theory of pricing emphasizes price establishment by retail water suppliers. There are certain distinctions between wholesale suppliers and retail distributors of water that question the adequacy of the existing theory in its universal application. This calls for a different theory of pricing for wholesale suppliers of water. Therefore, an efficiency-seeking pricing theory for wholesale water purveyors is explored here. Out of the fifteen existing river authorities in Texas, ten have wholesale supply operations. This study finds that out of the ten authorities that have wholesale operations, some authorities charge the same uniform rate to all their customers, while some charge a different rate to each of their customers. The fact that some river authorities charge different rates to different categories of customers for the same water is considered economically inefficient. Another element that lends itself to economic inefficiency is the usage of the block rates. Through a questionnaire, the study finds that river authorities rank revenue sufficiency highest among six objectives pertaining to rate-setting processes. Legality is ranked second and economic efficiency is ranked third among these six goals. Though there are ten river authorities that supply water on a wholesale basis, only eight valid questionnaires responses could be used for the study. All river authorities involved with the wholesale supply of water commit most of their water supplies to municipal, agricultural, and industrial uses and customers through water supply contracts that contain legal agreements, which are dealt with before the river authority supplies the water to the customer. This study discusses the various similarities and differences between contracts of the ten river authorities that are involved in wholesale supply of water. Out of the ten river authorities, nine responded with their wholesale water supply contracts. One river authority responded with two contracts, therefore there were ten contracts that were studied.

South Africa is regarded as an arid country but the existing water stewardship practises are inadequate to prevent severe water scarcity in the future that could have a detrimental effect on the country's economy. The biggest regulatory structure of water management in South Africa is the government appointed Water Service Authorities (WSAs). Given modern-day advances in digital technologies, Wang et al. (2015) envisions that tools such as intelligently networked water cyber physical systems could aid in water stewardship practises. This research aimed to contribute to the existing body of knowledge through identifying the most important water stewardship factors that currently play a role in the environment of WSAs, identifying the envisaged factors that can play a part in the future sustainability and stewardship of water, as well as recognising the opportunities and challenges that could enable or prohibit the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT). The research adopted an inductive approach to interpret the various responses of 11 semi-structured interviews with water professionals that works within the environment of WSA. It included insights from Government, Water boards (also seen as WSAs), nongovernment organisation, private sector consultants and research institutions. A sustainable water balance framework developed by Rozza et al. (2013) was applied to discuss current water stewardship practices. The study shows that planning and strategy, governance and management as well as public perception and awareness were identified as the most important current factors while technology and products are seen as the most import future factors. Most factors in current water stewardship practices were perceived with a negative connotation. Numerous ICT opportunities were identified and outweighed the challenges that are perceived with the implementation of ICT. In probing the future preparedness of WSA for the adoption of information and communication technologies, it was found that there was a vastly positive response. Although many hurdles to the adoption of ICT were identified, more opportunities than challenges were acknowledged. WSA can thus be classified as prepared for the implementation of ICT, should solutions be found for some of the impending problems.
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
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Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
The World Bank (1994) concluded that there is a close relationship between infrastructure and economic growth. This also reflects on the water sector because, despite water sector importance, water services infrastructure is probably one of the most difficult to finance, while its deficiency or absence instils a particular burden on society. According to Baietti and Raymond (2005), more than 1.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.4 billion are without adequate sanitation. Yet these estimates underestimate the gravity of the situation in relation to access gap and quality of services provided. Most consumers face situations where water services are intermittent and when available the water is not safe for consumption, while sanitation facilities are overloaded, unused or in despair. This research was conducted in the North West Province with municipalities that have the status of water services authorities. This included a combination of district and local municipalities. The North West Province has 11 water service authorities of which nine are local municipalities and two are district municipalities. The competing demands and needs for governments to provide infrastructure for other sectors such as roads and energy further aggravate the stance of finance unavailability for the water sector. The purpose of the study was to highlight the challenges that municipalities face in financing water services infrastructure. The result of the study will provide knowledge and innovative ideas that will allow South Africa‘s municipalities to address challenges of service delivery. At municipal level water services are provided through a variety of approaches, although most involve centralised systems with large supply, distribution and treatment facilities. The social benefits that water services provide are well known, particularly those that relate to public health including reduced morbidity and mortality from waterborne diseases. The challenge is that funding to meet these development objectives is either scarce or entirely unavailable. The Water Services Act 108 of (DWAF, 1997) requires water services authorities and water service providers to put significant efforts into cost recovery for sustainable provision of water services. This aspect has significant challenges which results from widespread poverty and a culture of non-payment from communities inherent as a remnant of protest against apartheid. The scope of the water sector is complex, owing to its diversity, interactions and synergies with other industrial, commercial and financial sectors, and its international nature. Under the current South African constitutional and legislative framework, municipalities will remain to be a major player in the development, financing and delivering of water services infrastructure for sustainable growth and development. Water Services Authorities (WSAs) have responsibilities including protection and management of water resources, provision of adequate and sustainable water services, operation and maintenance of water services infrastructure, monitoring and management of municipal water quality to regulatory requirements and reporting to the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) with regards to the aforementioned. Water service delivery failures at the municipal level are a widespread and fundamental problem in South Africa. At the same time, under the current decentralisation policies, the responsibility for delivering such services is increasingly being delegated to lower levels of government/municipalities that are often ill equipped for the challenge in terms of financial and human resources capacity. Cardone and Fonseca (2006) indicated public administration and financial management capacity at central and sub-sovereign levels of government as limited, and affecting the timely transfer of funding as well as the capacity of municipalities to absorb those funds. Various strategies are needed to enable municipalities to secure and finance their water services infrastructure. These include understanding what bankers are looking for, understanding where donors are going, greater involvement of the private sector, matching service levels to affordability, improving revenues and influencing the regulatory regime.

Effective implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is dependent on Member States’ national water institutions and organizations, often designated as ‘competent authorities’. Although substantial research relating to the Directive itself has been carried out, less is known about the extent to which competent authorities have the organizational capacity to deliver it. The literature notes that conceptual understanding of capacity has been hampered by lack of definitional clarity making both its management and assessment challenging. In this contribution, several conceptualizations of organizational capacity found in the literature are used to construct a set of core qualitative organizational components that encourage analysts to consider the ways in which legal authority, information and knowledge, skills, resources and leadership shape a competent authority’s ability to deliver the WFD. Malta, the smallest European Member State, is the case study used to test the application of these components. Qualitative empirical data collected from policy documents, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and online news media articles, provided the evidence to thematically explore and evaluate the Maltese competent authorities’ organizational capacity across the implementation of three main WFD provisions that are in focus: Article 8, 9 and 14. As a result, the core components of organizational capacity are expanded and refined to produce an organizational capacity thematic map. The results show that competent authorities experience influences across the institutional frameworks they work in as well as external factors (primarily political). The results also support the idea of the organizational capacity components being highly interlinked and the presence (or lack thereof) of one component having knock-on effects on others within an organization. The combination of these two factors highly affect management options and outcomes in the implementation of the WFD. In the small state context of Malta these highlight the need to channel support in a coordinated manner from European counterparts to the Maltese water network. In turn, the water network can have positive knock-on effects on the organizational capacity of the Maltese competent authorities, which currently struggle to perform and seize available opportunities due to low possession of human resources and time availability. The approach and findings presented in this research provide a mechanism and evidence base that can facilitate bilateral discussions between Member States as well as with the European Commission, and help inform the WFD review process planned by end of 2019.

By the adoption of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), South Africa has significantly changed its water management regime and the institutions governing water in this country. These changes were first introduced by the National White Policy Paper on Water in South Africa in 1997 and subsequently the National Water Act in 1998. One of the key components of IWRM is the decentralisation of water management to a regional or catchment level and the introduction of public participation in the water management sector. With the enactment of the NWA South Africa incorporated IWRM in its legal system and a decade on, authorities are now turning to its implementation. The NWA introduces Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs) in water management and gives them authority over water management at a catchment level. Initially there were nineteen (19) and this number has since been reduced to nine (9) due to a number of factors. South African authorities are now seeking ways in which they can effectively decentralise water to a catchment level, including delegating and assigning some of the functions currently held by the Minster to CMAs. Using Victoria, Australia as a comparative study, this study investigates how water management can best be decentralised to a catchment level; it starts off by investigating the theory of decentralisation and its pros and cons; then sets off to investigate water management has been decentralised in Australia from the national level, to state level and catchment level; it then investigates the role of Rural Water Authorities in Victoria and compares them to Catchment Management Agencies in South Africa. Finally the work highlights the water management regime and the various stakeholders in water management South Africa from a national level to a catchment level and the challenges facing South Africa in term of WRM; and then makes recommendations and a conclusion based on its research findings and the South African socio-economic and political context.

Although the access to adequate safe drinking water is taken for granted in developed countries and urban settlements in some developing countries at the end of 2002 it was estimated that globally, some 1.1 billion people still rely on unsafe drinking water sources particularly in the developing regions of India and Africa. Malawi is one of the developing countries located in the arid-semiarid Sub-Saharan African region with only 62% of its people having access to safe drinking water. Boreholes and dug wells equipped with hand pumps is the technology that has assisted the country to increase the proportion of people having access to safe drinking water.

The underlying objectives of the study were to critically characterise the existing rural water facilities management systems, and to assess the status of the water facilities that were provided to rural communities by different organisations and individuals. The aim is to form an information base upon which rural water development efforts will be advanced and to expose points of intervention for sustainable rural water supply.

A survey was conducted in two traditional authorities of Kapeni and Lundu in Blantyre rural district where 94 water users were interviewed in their households. Physical inspection survey of the water facilities in the area under study was done. Focus group discussions and informal key informants’ interviews were also done.

A majority (54%) of the respondents indicated that they participated in various stages of their water supply project. The actual responsibility for the management of all water points which were visited lies with a representative group of local community known as water points committee (WPC). 97% of the water facilities that were surveyed had WPCs of which 67% received training in management, operation and maintenance (O&M) of the water facilities. There are two types of hand pumps that were found in the area, Malda and Afridev. 83% of the water facilities were still in order. The downtimes of the water facilities ranged from 1 to 360 days depending on the kind of fault.

The traditional leaders, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) from government and mission clinics, water facility providers and the local communities themselves are the key players at community level. The trust that the communities have in their local leadership, the approach used in provision of the water facilities, the benefits that accrued to the local communities, and the length of time the WPCs serve the communities are the major factors that influence the communities’ participation in O&M activities. Inadequate number of qualified area technicians, theft of hand pump parts and high prices of some spare parts are some of the problems that impede effective O&M of the water facilities. To improve management, O&M of the water supply systems in the area communities have additional number of the water points, and training and refresher courses for WPCs and caretakers as some of their immediate needs. The common technical problems are hand pump related in water facilities equipped with Afridev hand pump and well drying for Malda hand pump equipped water facilities. The WPCs that are not active are those whose water facilities have been out of order for a long time. Recommendations are made regarding; planning phase, construction and operation phase, and government regulation.

This study is a comparative analysis of the development of the IWRM induced public policies/legislation and services relating to potable water supply and their implementation in selected cases in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It looks at the diverse patterns of municipal governance, access to potable water, different intervention mechanisms made by the local authorities and the consequences of these interventions. The study hypothesises that the adoption of the IWRM policy framework in Harare, Masvingo, Tshwane and Vhembe was not followed by comparable implementation of the policy framework. It argues that lack of ownership, lack of political and public administrative will, and low prioritisation of potable water supply translated into a lack of policy implementation and enforcement, and a lack of adequate institutional facilities for dealing with potable water issues. Furthermore it hypothesises that the level of economic development and the status of technological/scientific knowledge within a community determine the adoption of the IWRM paradigm, its implementation, effectiveness and the efficiency of existing water frameworks and institutions. The objectives of the study were to investigate the extent to which the policy, institutional, legislative and legal frameworks helped in the implementation of the IWRM paradigm in each of four case study areas of Harare, Masvingo, Tshwane and Vhembe; to identify and explain the common and differing perspectives of stakeholders regarding the IWRM paradigm and its implementation in the governance of potable water supply in the four selected locations; to give a clear outline of the challenges faced by each of the four cases in the implementation of the IWRM paradigm and the governance of potable water supply; and to draw comparative lessons from the experiences of the four cases in their attempts to implement the IWRM framework. Research methods involved both a theoretical review and an empirical study based on case studies, making use of comparative, qualitative, historical and exploratory approaches. The empirical research design was hybrid, although dominated by the descriptive survey approach. The design matched well with the target population and sample that were scattered throughout all four case study areas. Questionnaires, interviews, documentary evidence and participant observation were used in the collection of data for this study. The empirical study was undertaken in three stages. The first was a preliminary study of the four areas and their water sources. This was followed by a pilot study with ten members from the city of Masvingo, and finally, a full scale investigation was made in all four study areas. A total of 521 people were sampled for the study. Questionnaires were distributed through municipal offices, Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) offices and local schools. Interviews were conducted with the municipal and council executives, water directors and their assistants. Informal discussions were also held with all direct research assistants. Data was then collated and analysed for presentation in narrative descriptions, tables, graphs, and actual frequencies and percentage responses. The study established that while the framework for a perfect water management system exists in Zimbabwe and South Africa, the situation on the ground does not reflect this common belief. The reform process has not progressed as expected owing to a combination of factors ranging from conflicting policies and weak institutional linkages, to insufficient funding. The effectiveness of the new system has been found wanting as far as implementation is concerned. It has been established that IWRM in southern Africa has a very strong base in the form of the internal push factors and international pull factors, but also faces an uphill task in terms of aligning local and international challenges thereby co-opting the much needed grassroots participation for human capacitation and socio-economic development as guided by the multi-faceted systems framework. All the studied municipalities were found lacking in terms of advocacy or enlightening residents and other stakeholders of the new IWRM framework adopted by the municipalities. Despite the infrastructural and technological sophistication and advancement, in South Africa, this study established that most stakeholders were still unaware of the new developments. Stakeholders, especially at the grassroots have been largely side-lined in the formulation and adoption of potable water supply policies. Due to pipe bursts and water interruptions, access to tap water is by no means always assured. During water cuts, residents depended on risky and potentially polluted sources even in urban centres. Due to agricultural and mining activities, the proximity of cemeteries, poor sanitation and toilet facilities in the peri-urban and nearby shanty communities, and also the dolomitic character of the soil in some of the study areas, there is a high probability that these substitute sources are polluted. The study recommends an integrated systems approach to the management of potable water supply, full involvement of all stakeholders in the management process, intensive and extensive public campaigns, training, lobbying and advocacy. It is also suggested that potable water supply infrastructure be improved through the use of the business community and other stakeholders, who should be mobilised through the use of attractive incentives. Among other recommendations are the due enforcement of water laws, venturing into entrepreneurial activities, interval reviews and check-ups, and walking the talk. The study also recommends a more detailed and deeper participatory study in collaboration with major cities and rural communities in other countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region, as well as regional comparative studies, for example SADC versus Economic Community Organisation of West African States (ECOWAS).
PhD (Public Management and Governance)|cNorth-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

ABSTRACT Background Water is an essential requirement for the survival and development of people. It is estimated that 435 million people get their drinking water from unprotected wells worldwide. Water scarcity and chemical or biological aspects in water have been revealed, which can negatively affect health. This study aims to explore individuals’ experiences in drinking water with non-public water, hence individual wells. A further aim of the study is to explore authorities’ perspectives for implementing safe drinking water (SDGs 6) in Swedish coastal and rural areas.     Method In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were implemented to explore the experiences of 17 individual well owners and 4 authorities in non-public water use in Sweden. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the collected data.     Findings There were three main findings in the study: Firstly, concerns about water scarcity and water quality, mostly from families with children. Secondly, there was a feeling of exclusion among individuals due to lack of support from authorities and thirdly, a gap between existing assessment guidelines and the practices of individuals in terms of follow-up and benchmarking of the National health guidelines.   Conclusion The experiences of the individual well owners in Stockholm had some concerns due to water quality, the understanding, and implementation of the guidelines to safe drinking water. The authorities also highlighted the need for sustainable strategies. It concluded that multi-disciplinary approaches, communication, and community participation are necessary for a sustainable water strategy. These must be addressed globally as climate change impacts water supply and has a massive effect on rural and coastal areas.

_{We never know the worth of water till the well is dry (Thomas Fuller)}

The project “Evaluation of individual wells and systems”

Thesis (MPhil) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study describes and analyses the water services education and training needs of councillors in local authorities in the Northern Cape to enable them to implement their legislative framework in the new dispensation in South Africa. It is the proposition of this study that during the transitional period from 1994 to 2003 and thereafter, there is a likelihood of lack of capacity in most local authorities in the Northern Cape to execute their legislative requirements. This invariably imposes leadership responsibilities upon a range of stakeholders and councillors in Local Authorities (LAs), and creates the need for a redefined model of representation on the part of councillors "from resemblance to responsibility and responsiveness" (Sartori 1968: 465). Using literature review to analyse leadership responsibilities of councillors, four priority education and training (E&T) needs of councillors have been identified: • the need to understand water services policy and business cycle within the context of decentralisation and devolution of powers and functions • to local government; • the need for water services business programme management and planning skills; • the need to understand community participation in water services development plans and development processes; and • the need for conflict-resolution skills. Based upon inferences drawn from literature evidence, it is concluded that Local Government (LG) patterns of responses involving the application of managerial and analytical principles grounded firmly in the twentieth century Organisational Development (00) and public service management experience and thoughts, can neither explain nor remedy the complex variables of Local Government Developmental Agenda (LGDA) and/or the complex array of water crises that are unfolding in Northern Cape. Thus, for water services to remain a viable "instrument of humanity" especially at a municipal level, it is concluded that more effective E&T strategies are required to equip current and future councillors with intellectual water business tools to address the complex challenges that lie before them. Furthermore, an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) action-based strategy is offered as an alternative to the current traditional training approaches in Northern Cape. It is also clear from the researcher's interpretations and analysis of LGDA variables that the water services E&T needs and the relevant "gaps" identified are not simply questions of "how to do things". Rather an OBE action-based strategy under LGDA processes involves a fundamental reorientation of all participants in E&T programme for councillors that should be relevant to the special demands of the Northern Cape LAs and councillors. The researcher makes recommendations for enriching the sociology of LG studies, to match the skills requirements, given the complexity of LGDA and numerous challenges for competent and innovative councillors in LAs. Finally, this study is not intended to be exhaustive but rather to complement a number of education and training initiatives commissioned or under preparation by water sector stakeholders in line with Skill Development Act of 1998 and SAQA of 1995 (South African Qualifications Act) processes. KEYWORDS: Best Value Regime, Local Government Developmental Agenda, Spheres of government; local government; socio-economic & political dynamics in transition; decentralisation; constitutional powers and functions of local government; education and training (E&T) needs of councillors in water services; Northern Cape Province.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskryf en ontleed die behoefte aan onderwys en opleiding (E&T) by raadslede in plaaslike owerhede in die Noordkaap, om hul moeilike taak te kan verrig in In veranderende beleidsomgewing in Suid Afrika. Die studie besin daaroor dat daar waarskynlik gedurende die oorgangstydperk vanaf 1994 tot 2003 en ook daarna, In tekort aan bevoedgheid om hul funksies te vervul, by heelwat plaaslike owerhede in die Noordkaap bestaan. Dit is deels In gevolg daarvan dat nuwe verantwoordelikhede op die skouers van die rolspelers en raadslede in plaaslike owerhede geplaas word. Die nuwe rol van raadslede word herdefinieer vanaf verteenwoordiging na verantwoording en optrede; "from resemblance to responsibility and responsiveness" (Sartori 1968: 465). Vier belangrike areas waar onderwys- en opleidingsbehoeftes ten opsigte van die leierskapsprofiel van Raadslede bestaan, is op grond van In literatuuroorsig ge'identifiseer: • die belangrikheid daarvan om beleid- en besigheidsaspekte van die lewering van waterdienste te verstaan teen die agtergrond van desentralisering en stelselmatige afwenteling van magte en funksies na die plaaslike owerheidsvlak; • die behoefte wat bestaan aan bestuurs- en beplanningsvaardighede met betrekking tot waterdienste en water-ekonomiese aspekte; • In begrip van die rol van die plaaslike gemeenskap in beplanning en uitvoer van ontwikkelingsprojekte vir die lewering van waterdienste; • konflikhanteringsvaardighede. Na aanleiding van die getuienis uit hierdie literatuurstudie word dit duidelik dat die heersende reaksie- en besluitnemingstyle van Plaaslike Owerheid (LG) wat spruit uit beginsels van organisasie ontwerp (00) wat dateer uit die vorige eeu en die staatsdienservaring en -denke van daardie era, nie die komplekse veranderlikes van die nuwe Plaaslike Owerheid Ontwikkelingsagenda (LGDA) kan verduidelik of aanspreek nie, en dus nie geskik is om In dreigende krisis in die Noordkaap te af te weer nie. am waterdienste in die toekoms as 'n voertuig vir die opheffing van agtergeblewe gemeenskappe te kan gebruik, veral op plaaslike owerheidsvlak, is dit belangrik dat huidige en toekomstige raadslede deur middel van effektiewe onderwys - en opleidingstrategiee toegerus word met water-ekonomie kennis en vaardighede. Sodoende sal hulle die komplekse uitdagings wat aan hulle gestel word, die hoof kan bied. 'n Aksie-gerigte strategie gefundeer op 'n uitkomsgebaseerde (aBE) kurrikulum, word voorgestel as plaasvervanger vir die huidige tradisionele onderwysbenadering in die Noordkaap. Dit is duidelik uit die outeur se interpretasie en ontleding van LGDA veranderlikes, dat die ge"identifiseerde onderwys- en opleidings behoeftes en gapings 'n heeltemal nuwe benadering vereis. Die benadering behels 'n deurdagte herorienterinq tot opleidingsprogramme vir raadslede in plaaslike owerhede (LG) in die Noordkaap. Die studie dra by tot die sosiologie van plaaslike owerheidstudie, en wys op die vaardighede, vermoens en innovasie-eienskappe van raadslede wat benodig word om die kompleksiteit van LGDA en die uitdagings in plaaslike owerhede aan te spreek. Ten slotte is die studie nie bedoel om volledig te wees nie maar om wei 'n bydrae te lewer tot die onderwys- en opleidingsinisiatiewe wat voortspruit uit die aksies van belanghebbendes in die water sektor in ooreenstemming met die Wet op Vaardigheidsontwikkeling (1998) en SAKWA (1995).

Although water is considered a renewable resource, there is only a fixed amount of water available. No additional water can be made, and we cannot easily control how fast water is recycled or in what form it will appear and where. With expected growth in the world’s population and economy, the same amount of water must supply more needs. Taking into account climate change projections and water-related environmental stresses, even less water might be available for human uses. People will need to decide how to serve a multitude of water needs. This dissertation uses the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s (SNWA) Groundwater Development Project to investigate how water policy designs handle the challenges of meeting urban and rural as well as human and ecological water needs when allocating scarce water supplies. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) plans to build a pipeline to transfer groundwater from five rural basins in northeastern Nevada 300 miles south to the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Southern Nevada. SNWA has asked the Nevada State Engineer to approve its water right applications to develop and use groundwater from these rural basins. One of the basins, Snake Valley, straddles the border between Nevada and Utah. An interstate agreement allocating the groundwater between the two states is required before the State Engineer can approve water rights that would be diverted from Snake Valley. We found that policy debates and people’s rationales for how water should be allocated revolved around disagreements over beneficial use. In addition, water agreements need to be designed so that the risks from hydrologic uncertainties and impacts from other users are also apportioned clearly and equitably. Policy designs are purposefully crafted and have enormous impact, yet analysis of the actual contents of policies and their societal impacts has not received adequate attention within the policy sciences. The significance of this research is that it focuses on the foundational principles and rules for the allocation of scarce water resources that must necessarily balance urban and rural interests as well as human and environmental needs.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016.
Water is a critical resource in Southern Africa. The region thus needs to protect both the quality and the quantity of its water resources through robust water conservation and demand management (WC/DM) measures. Water demand management encompasses activities that aim to decrease water demand, improve the efficiency of water use and prevent the deterioration of water resources. Water conservation refers to policies, measures or consumer practices that promote the conservation of water resources. Water resources should be used wisely to secure a water supply that is of good quality and enough for South Africa’s people and its natural environment, which provides the ecosystem that supports all forms of life. When a water utility systems experience water losses, the amount of water available to consumers is reduced, making it difficult to satisfy demand. Water losses also occur as a result of inaccuracies in customer meters, data errors in the billing system and unauthorised consumption. Such losses result in non-revenue water (NRW), which is a serious threat to the water supply sector. NRW refers to the water that is produced and lost without generating revenue for the utility. This research study investigated strategies that could be used to address the challenge of water losses, by developing a more suitable business model that could be incorporated into Ugu District Municipality (DM)’s existing NRW reduction strategies. The study was carried out in Amandawe and Umzinto zones of the District Municipality and it covered the period 01 March 2014 to June 2015. The study objectives were made up of four components. The first was to identify and prioritise the implementation of NRW reduction strategies. This was achieved by identifying the pipes to be closed off, which were supplying a significant number of consumers. For those pipes that were not closed off, flow meters were installed to measure the flow into and out of a zone. The system was then tested for zero pressure by isolating all closed valves to ensure that there were no potential feed-backs into the zone. Pressure gauges were set up on standpipes for routine pressure monitoring. The test was run at night (between 01.00 and 05.00 hours) when the system was under pressure. When the pressure dropped consistently, this meant that there was no feedback into a zone. Leaks were detected by logging the system in order to obtain night flows, which were analysed to determine the system behaviour. The results for Amandawe Zone after implementation of the pressure management programme, indicated that the average zone’s night pressure (AZNP) decreased from 7.38 bars to 5.95 bars. For Umzinto Zone, the AZNP dropped from 5.5 bars to 3.3 bars. The minimum night flows (MNFs) dropped from 34.80 m3/hr to 15.20 m3/hr in Amandawe Zone and from 6.4 m3/hr to 1.70 m3/hr in Umzinto Zone. The daily cost of excess night flow due to bursts was reduced from R2276.17/day to R862.61/day in Amandawe Zone and from R361.24/day to R40.46/day in Umzinto Zone, which provided huge savings. The second objective was to identify the sources and causes of water losses in the study area by conducting field measurements and observations. This was achieved by physically inspecting the infrastructure using visual observation, mechanical listening sticks, correlators, ground microphones and system loggers. The following indicators were used to physically identify underground leaks: unusually wet surfaces in landscaped areas, pools of water on the ground surface, noticeably green, soft and mouldy areas surrounded by drier surfaces, a notable drop in water pressure or flow volume, unexplained sudden increase in water demand or water use at a fairly steady rate for several billing cycles, cracks in paved surfaces, potholes or sink holes and the sudden appearance of dirty water in the main distribution system. For this study, the water losses in the system were found to be as a result of various causes including leaks, aging infrastructure, high pressure in the system, damaged pipes and illegal connections, among others. The third objective was to construct a water balance in order to determine the key performance indicators for the NRW reduction strategies. This was achieved by determining the system input volume (SIV), billed authorized consumption (BAC), unbilled metered consumption (UMC), unbilled unmetered consumption (UUC), real losses (RL), apparent losses (AL) and IWA Key Performance Indicators. Bulk and domestic meter readings were used to calculate the components of the water balance. The results of the water balance indicated that there was a decrease in the SIV from 904 kL/day to 523 kL/day in Amandawe Zone and from 382 kL/day to 221 kL/day in Umzinto Zone. The physical water losses were reduced from 611 kL/day to 377 kL/day in Amandawe Zone and from 93.8 kL/day to 45.8 kL/day in Umzinto Zone. The NRW was reduced from 659 kL/day to 395 kL/day in Amandawe Zone and from 94.2 kL/day to 46.2 kL/day in Umzinto Zone. The fourth objective was to develop the most suitable business model for Ugu DM based on the results arising from the first three objectives. Ugu DM needs to ensure both operational and financial efficiency. Operational efficiency could be achieved by minimising real water losses through reviewing water services standards, developing district metering areas, pressure management, leak detection and repair, reservoir control to stop overflows and pipe replacement programs. Financial efficiency could be achieved by carrying out regular meter testing and calibration, securing database integrity, managing illegal connections, ensuring that all customer connections have meters and ensuring that the tariff structures were cost reflective in order for the municipality to cover costs and generate revenue. Findings of this study could assist other water utilities operating under similar conditions. The implementation of this study’s results could have positive economic, social and environmental effects on Ugu DM. It was concluded that rezoning, pressure management and leak detection were the most critical NRW reduction strategies as they had a positive impact on the system. The main causes of leaks in the system were identified as aging infrastructure, high pressures in the system, and illegal connections. All the critical KPIs of IWA water balance responded positively after the implementation of the strategies by reducing. The operational and financial efficiencies were identified as critical for a WSA to develop a business model that could sustain itself.

Thesis (M. Phil. (Environmental Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013
This study examines the effectiveness of a particular segment of the legal framework regarding water pollution control in South Africa. A review is conducted of relevant environmental legislation (including the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, the National Water Act 36 of 108) and the Water Services Act and related literature in order to portray the history, scope and content of the water law framework that applies to local authorities in the specific. In order to situate the phenomenon of water pollution in the context of the theoretical review, some observations are included concerning international and domestic developments and phenomena. The theoretical base of this study is furthermore substantiated and supported by the inclusion of a basic case study that portrays the actual challenges facing some local authorities in South Africa in the management and governance of water resources and the combating of water pollution. This study concludes with a set of recommendations towards improved water governance and the combating of water pollution in the local government sphere based on the finding that deficient compliance and enforcement measures remain a real challenge in municipalities’ effective implementation of South Africa’s water law.

This research focuses on how conservation authorities create organizational knowledge to enhance adaptive capacity to improve environmental policy. Organizational knowledge creation refers to the ability to create, disseminate and embody knowledge to improve products, services and systems (Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995). Organizational knowledge is required for building adaptive capacity, which is defined as the ability to anticipate, respond to and learn from disturbance and change. Highly adaptive organizations can anticipate, respond to and learn from disturbances to adjust management practices and overcome weaknesses in policy created by changing circumstances (Ascher 2001). As quasi-government agencies responsible for water management in Ontario, conservation authorities need to respond to change if they are to learn from past experiences and develop innovative water resource policy that adequately addresses increasingly complex social-ecological problems. A broad multidisciplinary literature review was conducted to develop a theoretical framework of conditions that potentially facilitate organizational knowledge creation and adaptive capacity. A case study analysis was conducted using five conservation authorities to acquire insight into the circumstances under which these conditions facilitate knowledge creation and adaptive capacity based on practical water resource management experience in three programs areas: flood damage reduction, low water response and source water protection. The case studies include Credit Valley Conservation, Grand River Conservation Authority, Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and Toronto Region Conservation Authorities and were chosen because they reflect a cross section of institutional attributes in terms of budget, staff, rate of growth and population. A qualitative, exploratory research methodology was employed to undertake analysis of empirical evidence from 64 semi-structured interviews with water resource practitioners. Analysis of interview transcripts was conducted with QSR NVivo, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software, to provide insight into the role facilitating conditions played in water resource management. Findings from the analysis suggest there are twelve facilitating conditions for creating organizational knowledge to enhance adaptive capacity in conservation authorities. A conceptual model illustrates the relative importance of the facilitating conditions to conservation authorities and highlights three core conditions: values of trust and respect, social capital and accountability. The other nine conditions include leadership, surveillance of the environment, social memory, autonomy, motivation, conditions for social interaction, dialogue, shared vision and adaptive mental models. The conceptual model identifies and operationalizes theoretical facilitating conditions in water resource management. The model has a strong theoretical underpinning developed through a consolidation of insights from various fields of study including social-ecological systems, knowledge management, organizational learning and collaborative planning. The model’s structure is derived from the observations and experiences of practitioners in managing water resources and can in turn, provide practitioners with an opportunity to recognize how their daily activities and decisions can influence organizational knowledge creation processes and adaptive capacity. From a planning perspective, this research highlights the importance of creating organizational knowledge and building adaptive capacity in planning institutions to improve their ability to develop informed and adaptive public policy.

Common-pool resources are goods that are kept from potential users only at a cost. These goods are subtractible in consumption and can diminish or disappear. Our failure to manage or exclude noncontributing beneficiaries in river resources could lead to lack of maintenance or protection of these resources. Critical to access to and use of river resources are tenurial rights. Without a stake in the tenure and governance of river resources, local communities could consume river resources opportunistically. It is on this background that in order to attain the better management of river resources, this study has explored tenurial rights as . critical in the realization of this objective. It is imperative that all relevant stakeholders play a role. Critical in this role are the institutional instruments. In alluding to the need to better manage our river resources, the South African government, through the Department of Water AffairS. ~dForestry (DWAF), has passed the Water Act. This act is tasked with ensuring th~t c)~ water resources are conserved so as to serve the present and the future generations. However, the success of this law, as various researchers indicate, rests on a co-operative approach involving all role players, particularly at local level. It is only whenco-IIlanagement of river resources is put in place that we can be in a position to use our resources sustainably for the benefit of the present and the future generations. Central in this approach, in rural areas, are Amakhosi . and other traditional institutions which command power. In order to test this 'hypothesis, this study was conducted in Salem, a peri-urban area where the power and authority of Amakhosi is, at least, not as strong as in deep rural areas. While the power of these institutions has waned over decades, this study has found a need to include Amakhosi in decision-making on river resource use because of their long-standing authority over communities living alongside rivers. Despite the decline in the power of Amakhosi in enforcing control measures in the management of river resources,a myriad of responses indicate that this institution still possess authority in the control and management of river resources in the Salem area. However, this study has further established that a co-operative system entailing all relevant stakeholders could enhance, and indeed bring about a sustainable management of river resources.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Student Number : 0104363F - MSc research report - School of Architecture and Planning - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
South Africa is a constitutional state. The constitution is the supreme law of the country (RSA, 1996). Any of the state laws, policies and programmes that are inconsistent with the constitution are invalid, thus they have no legitimate standing. In the preamble of its constitution, the post apartheid South Africa sworn itself as a country recognising the past injustices, hence planning for the society based on social justices, in order to improving the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person. The Bill of Rights is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa, as it encompasses all human rights, especially socioeconomic rights, whose fulfilment will contribute towards realisation of equal and united society based on social justice. However, the post apartheid South African government adopted a Free Basic Water policy as a way of adhering to the constitutional requirements of ensuring that everyone has the right to sufficient water. Access to clean sufficient water has been identified as a crucial requirement for Care and Prevention to the HIV/AIDS affected households. In the midst of socioeconomic inequalities, scarce water resources and high HIV/AIDS prevalence confronting the post apartheid South Africa today, the Free Basic Water policy guarantees every household of eight; irrespective of its socioeconomic status and health concerns, 6kl/6000 litres of water every month free. The local government has been blamed for not being responsive these special water needs of the poor HIV/AIDS households, especially in townships areas, where water is mostly provided on cost-recovery. However, little attention has been paid on the difficulty faced by the local government authorities in this regard. The report argue for a need of collaboration between planners and others major stakeholders, to come up with group-conscious water policy that will guide for planning of a society based on social justice. However, the research recommends that this policy should not only be guided by / concerned with justice and fairness in the distribution of basic needs of the society with special needs. More important, this new policy should be fair, thus account for the sustainability of the water resources, since South Africa is regarded as water-scarce country.

碩士
銘傳大學
公共事務學系碩士在職專班
100
Under policy of Government downsizing, the staff has not been replaced when reduced, not only limit to shrink the authority of the staff manpower, but also increase the workload of the administrative authorities. The public sector in response to huge public service needs turns to seek the use of dispatched manpower in order to supplement or support the dilemma of formal official personnel insufficient. Thus, labor dispatched employment has become one of the important items of government human resource management strategy. On workplace practical perspective, however, the administrative authorities after in the extensive use of labor dispatched manpower, on unequal working conditions, may affect the organizational climate, organizational commitment, job involvement, organizational identification and fair treatment, and many other issues. This study makes labor dispatched personnel of single case as the research object. As dispatched workers of the public sector at this time, we take qualitative research on the practical side of job involvement and organizational identification, and further analyze the public sector in order to save manpower and reduce the financial burdens, and emphasize the flexibility under the trend of using multi- manpower, derived from extensive use of labor dispatched manpower problems. According to the study results, making recommendations for government policy reference and hoping for contributing to the question of labor dispatch. This thesis research focused mainly on exploring the diversification of labor dispatched personnel in the public sector on the face of the rights and obligations of un-reciprocity, interpersonal interaction on heterogeneity, and the self- confusion of roles in the organization of these three conceptual frameworks for analysis. According to the research, obtained the conclusions: First, It was taken by the labor dispatched mechanism in response to the simplify policy of government’s staff.Second, Dispatched workers should be elected on performance by achievements, but the authorities are still relevant to the intervention.Third, Labor dispatch is a mobile, flexible use of manpower, but the authorities’ dispatched workers renew a contract every year, just as permanently employed.Fourth,Low-level of dispatched work and female-dominated.Fifth, Dispatched workers still have their own informal network in private and do not appear on the interpersonal serious marginalization.Sixth,Dispatch workers labor conditions and differences in pay and benefits.Seventh, Distance between work field and the role, resulting self-confusion of roles in the dispatched labor.Eighth,Dispatch of labor input and sense of identity lower than permanent employees.

This study is non-empirical and its design is based on three forms of analysis: conceptualisation, theoretical justification and strategic considerations for a participatory model in the water services sector in South Africa. In terms of the conceptualisation, the study addresses the old and new paradigms of sustainable development. First, it argues that for many years the concept of sustainable development has long dominated the development discourse. Second, the theoretical justification traces the evolution and meanings of sustainable development and also patterns and trends of the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. The descriptive analysis of apartheid and colonialism suggests a new development path for inclusive people-centred development. The study therefore postulates that in the South African context, sustainable development is both a political and a historical construct. This is the basis within which sustainable development should be understood. Third, the study concludes that context plays an important part in understanding and challenging the immoral and unjust practices of colonialism and apartheid which have militated against sustainable human development. The study further provides a description of the local government and water sectors and their underpinned legislative and policy framework, and notes impressive results in the delivery of basic water supply since 1994. However, the study argues that in order for municipalities to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities as water services authorities, they need to adopt a participatory model towards sustainable development since this is currently lacking. In doing so, the water services sector needs to overcome dangers of parochialism which were more evident from the supply-driven policy of the government. The study therefore draws lessons from three Latin American countries: Chile, Bolivia and Nicaragua, and proposes a new developmental path which conforms to the principles of sustainability. This development path is represented in the form of a dynamic, diagrammatic model for participatory sustainable development. This model displays successive stages and cycles of transaction between stakeholders. The model represents a decision support system which provides a conceptual framework for the diagnosis, consolidation and analysis of information. The model is thus a useful tool which can be applied in the public sector during project or programme implementation.
Development Studies
D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)