Service Contract No 2007 / 147-446 Strategic ... - Swaziland

economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainabilityof vital ecosystems”.Internationally Swaziland has ratified several protocols governing transboundary issues. TheTreaty on Development and Utilisation of the Water Resources of the Komati River Basinbetween the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, andthe Tripartite Interim Agreement between the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic ofSouth Africa and the Kingdom of Swaziland for co-operation on the protection andsustainable utilisation of the water resources of the Incomati and Maputo watercourses areall being respected.5.2.1.2 State of water resources in SwazilandThe Water Act declares all water found in the country a national resource and requires allusers to have permits for use of the water. It is however, not necessary for any person orcommunity to obtain a permit for use of water for primary (subsistence) purpose 8 . The RBAsare responsible for the issuing of water abstraction permits. Water is allocated on volumetricbasis, and in the case of irrigation it is allocated on the basis of crop water requirement.Swaziland’s Water Act (2003) states that during a drought situation, the WaterApportionment Board shall issue a rationing notice to all permit holders to adjust theirabstraction quantities depending on the severity of the prevailing drought situation. Thepolicy states that the rationing notices will be issued in the following order:Irrigated agricultureIndustrial activitiesStock wateringDomestic water useThis rationing should go hand-in-hand with effective monitoring of all water users.According to the draft IWRM Plan (May 2009) the existing river systems within Swaziland areunder stress due to an increase in population, industrialisation, an increase in irrigatedagriculture and increased pollution of water resources, notwithstanding the fact that thesupply of potable water to the population remains low.Only 5.4% of the Komati River basin lies within Swaziland, where it is drained by theKomati River. In Swaziland the river is regulated by Maguga dam and a tributary by the SandRiver dam. Irrigation is by far the largest water user in the Swaziland portion of the basin.The majority of the Mbuluzi River basin (58%) lies within Swaziland, where it is drained bythe Mbuluzi River. The Hawane dam supplies Mbabane with water and the Mnjoli damsecures water for the sugar cane estates in eastern Swaziland. Water from the Sand Riverdam in the Komati River basin is transferred to sugar cane estates in the Mbuluzi River basinvia a canal. Irrigation is again by far the largest water user in the Swaziland portion of thebasin.The majority of Swaziland lies in the Maputo River basin, drained primarily by the Usuthuand Ngwavuma Rivers. The three major dams in Swaziland are Lake Luphohlo (used in thegeneration of hydro-power), the Lubovane Reservoir and the Nyetane dam (both used forirrigation purposes). The GoS is investigating additional dam sites, as shown below.8 "Use for primary purpose" means the use of water for domestic requirements, sanitation, the watering of animals notexceeding 30 head of cattle or the irrigation of land not exceeding one-quarter hectare adjoining or occupied with ahomestead of not more than 10 persons, but does not include the use of water by a local authority for distribution to theinhabitants of the area.RDMU (Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Adaptation Strategy) - Page 35