The management of greywater in the non-sewered areas of South Africa

Carden, Kirsty; Armitage, Neil; Winter, Kevin; Sichone, Owen; Rivett, Ulrike

doi:10.1080/15730620801972316

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“… 19 Without adequate waterborne sanitation, the disposal of household waste water becomes a problem. 20 Although the main houses in the present study had waterborne sanitation, the design of the facilities and the low level of proper sanitation behaviour of the inhabitants caused widespread disposal of waste water in two inappropriate ways. The City of Cape Town faces periodic water shortages that are set to increase with the advancement of climate change.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

The Impact of Densification by Means of Informal Shacks in the Backyards of Low-Cost Houses on the Environment and Service Delivery in Cape Town, South Africa

Govender

Barnes

Pieper

2011

Environ�Health�Insights

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This paper investigates the state-sponsored low cost housing provided to previously disadvantaged communities in the City of Cape Town. The strain imposed on municipal services by informal densification of unofficial backyard shacks was found to create unintended public health risks. Four subsidized low-cost housing communities were selected within the City of Cape Town in this cross-sectional survey. Data was obtained from 1080 persons with a response rate of 100%. Illegal electrical connections to backyard shacks that are made of flimsy materials posed increased fire risks. A high proportion of main house owners did not pay for water but sold water to backyard dwellers. The design of state-subsidised houses and the unplanned housing in the backyard added enormous pressure on the existing municipal infrastructure and the environment. Municipal water and sewerage systems and solid waste disposal cannot cope with the increased population density and poor sanitation behaviour of the inhabitants of these settlements. The low-cost housing program in South Africa requires improved management and prudent policies to cope with the densification of state-funded low-cost housing settlements.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

The Impact of Densification by Means of Informal Shacks in the Backyards of Low-Cost Houses on the Environment and Service Delivery in Cape Town, South Africa

Govender

Barnes

Pieper

2011

Environ�Health�Insights

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“…The problems in Langrug result in eutrophication and pollution of the Berg River, which creates further problems for agriculture downstream, especially in relation to import standards of overseas trading partners [42]. The Genius of SPACE project used a number of NBS to attempt to treat and manage wastewater and greywater entering the storm water system, to manage solid waste, to empower local community members and to improve the living conditions and promote social upliftment [43][44][45][46]. The NBS used were the installation of 27 greywater disposal points to manage greywater run-off, the installation of underground wastewater pipes to reduce local flood risk and storm water management and the establishment of 15 tree gardens for water infiltration [47].…”

Section: South Africa-genius Of Space (Systems For People's Access To...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management in Peri-Urban Areas

Hale

Tann

Rebelo

et al. 2023

Water

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The term nature-based solutions (NBS) has gained traction in recent years and has been applied in many settings. There are few comprehensive assessment frameworks available that can guide NBS planning and implementation while at the same time capturing the short- and long-term impacts and benefits of the NBS. Here a recently presented framework, which builds on the theory of change and was developed to assess NBS at different phases of the project cycle, was applied to seven diverse case studies. The case studies addressed water quality and quantity issues in peri-urban areas across the global north and south. Framework indicators covering the sustainability dimensions (environmental, social and economic) were assessed at three stages of the framework: context, process and results. The work sought to investigate the following research objectives: (1) Can this framework be robust and yet flexible enough to be applied across a diverse selection of NBS projects that are at different phases of the project cycle and address different kinds of water challenges within varied ecological, social and economic contexts? (2) Is it possible to draw generalisations from a comparative analysis of the application of the framework to the case studies? Results showed that the framework was able to be applied to the case studies; however, their diversity showed that NBS projects designed in one context, for a specific purpose in a specific location, can not necessarily be transferred easily to another location. There were several process-based indicators that were universally significant for the case studies, including expertise, skills and knowledge of the involved actors, roles and responsibilities of involved actors and political support. The result-based indicators were case study-specific when environmental indicators were case study-specific, and important social indicators were environmental identity and recreational values. Overall, the use of the framework benefits the recognition of the implementation’s advances, such as the change in context, the processes in place and the results obtained.

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“…Chemical pollutants in greywater can vary considerably by area as well, depending on product availability in the local markets and use practices of a particular household [ 7 ]. Greywater can also have direct impacts to the environment through erosion, pooling, scum, and grease build up [ 16 ]. The nature of the impacts will be influenced by factors such as soil surface properties, topography, water table depth, and proximity of the area to sensitive environments [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greywater Disposal Practices in Northern Botswana—The Silent Spring?

Alexander

Godrej

2015

IJERPH

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Disposal of greywater is a neglected challenge facing rapidly growing human populations. Here, we define greywater as wastewater that originates from household activities (e.g., washing dishes, bathing, and laundry) but excludes inputs from the toilet. Pollutants in greywater can include both chemical and biological contaminates that can significantly impact human, animal, and environmental health under certain conditions. We evaluate greywater disposal practices in nonsewered, low-income residential areas in Kasane (264 dwellings/ha), Kazungula (100 du/ha), and Lesoma (99 du/ha) villages in Northern Botswana through household surveys (n = 30 per village). Traditional pit latrines were the dominant form of sanitation (69%, n = 90, 95% CI, 59%–79%) while 14% of households did not have access to onsite sanitation (95% CI 0%–22%). While greywater disposal practices varied across villages, respondents in all sites reported dumping greywater into the pit latrine. Frequency varied significantly across villages with the highest level reported in Kasane, where residential density was greatest (p < 0.014, χ2 = 9.13, 61% (n = 23, 95% CI 41%–81%), Kazungula 41% (n = 22, 95% CI 20%–62%), Lesoma 13% (95% CI 0%–29%). Disposal of greywater in this manner was reported to limit contamination of the household compound and reduce odors, as well as pit latrine fecal levels. Some respondents reported being directed by local health authorities to dispose of greywater in this manner. Environmentally hazardous chemicals were also dumped directly into the pit latrine to reduce odors. With high household to pit latrine ratios particularly in rental properties (4.2 households, SD = 3.32, range = 15 units, average household size 5.3, SD = 4.4), these greywater and pit latrine management approaches can significantly alter hydraulic loading and leaching of chemicals, microorganisms, and parasites. This can dramatically expand the environmental footprint of pit latrines and greywater, increasing pollution of soil, ground, and surface water resources. Challenges in greywater disposal and pit latrines must be addressed with urgency as health behaviors directed at minimizing negative aspects may amplify the environmental impacts of both greywater and pit latrine excreta.

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The management of greywater in the non-sewered areas of South Africa

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

The Impact of Densification by Means of Informal Shacks in the Backyards of Low-Cost Houses on the Environment and Service Delivery in Cape Town, South Africa

The Impact of Densification by Means of Informal Shacks in the Backyards of Low-Cost Houses on the Environment and Service Delivery in Cape Town, South Africa

Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management in Peri-Urban Areas

Greywater Disposal Practices in Northern Botswana—The Silent Spring?

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