A strategy for linking South Africa to the Water Programme of the United Nations Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS)

Abstract

English: The tasks of managing and protecting South Africa’s water resources are being performed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), although the requirement to protect water resources are also entrenched in the policies and acts of other departments. DWAF has also recognized over the past ten years the importance of international co-operation with regards to water issues. As part of South Africa’s commitment to the realization of Agenda 21 and related international water management commitments, the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has committed itself to participating in the Global Surface Water Quality Monitoring Programme. The programme falls under the management of the United Nations Environmental Programme and is administrated by the UN Global Environmental Monitoring System/Water Programme (GEMS/Water). The aim of the study was to develop a strategy that would enable SA to effectively participate in this global water quality monitoring programme, by making use of existing programmes and infrastructure. A very important aspect of this study was also to test the scientific and operational ability of SA to honour this commitment, as the submission of unreliable and irrelevant data for use in international reports by the UN can lead to embarrassment on a political level. Clear objectives, based on international requirements, were formulated to serve as the basis for the design of a scientifically sound monitoring system. Three different types of monitoring data, namely global river flux, global trends, global baseline data were identified as the main focus areas. A wide variety of techniques such as statistical analyses of national water quality data, specialist workshops, meetings with international data users, geographic information system (GIS), performance auditing of existing monitoring programmes and extensive field visits were used to design a monitoring system that would enable SA to meet the set objectives. Special attention was also given to the design of a comprehensive ISO 9001:2000 based quality management system and operational structures that would ensure the production and submission of reliable data in a sustainable manner. The importance of producing a documented monitoring strategy cannot be over emphasized. Such a strategy must clearly link the information needs with monitoring objectives, which in turn must be clearly linked to the design of the monitoring programme During the design process a number of potential shortcomings in the existing systems and programmes were identified and specific recommendations are made. Some of the main recommendations related to the implementation of a quality management system for new and existing national monitoring programmes, placement of sampling sites, alteration of sampling frequencies and expansion of monitoring variables currently being tested for. It was finally concluded that South Africa does have the ability to honour their commitment to the UN GEMS/Water Programme, provided that the recommendations emanating from this study are implemented.

Afrikaans: Die bestuur en bewaring van Suid-Afrika se waterhulpbronne is hoofsaaklik die verantwoordelikheid van die Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou (DWB), alhoewel dit ook vervat word in die beleid en wette van ander departemente. DWB het ook oor die afgelope tien jaar die belangrikheid van internationale samewerking op hiedie gebied erken. As deel van Suid Afrika se verbintenis tot die verwesenliking van Agenda 21 en verwante waterbestuur ooreenkomste, het die DWB homself tot deelname in die Wêreld Watergehalthe Moniterings Program verbind. Die program val onder die bestuur van die Vereenigde Nasies (VN) Omgewings Program en word deur die VN Wêreld Omgewings Monitering Stelsel/Water programme (GEMS/Water) geadministreer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n strategie te ontwikkel wat SA instaat sal stel om op ‘n effektiewe wyse te kan deelneem in die wêreld moniteringprogram deur gebruik te maak van bestaande programme en infrastruktuur. ‘n Baie belangrike aspek van hierdie studie was ook om te toets of SA die wetenskaplike en operationele vermoeë het om sukselvol aan hierdie program kan deelneem. Aangesien die verskaffing van nierelevante of onbetroubare data aan die VN vir gebruik in internationale verslae tot verleentheid op politiese vlak kan lei. Duidelike doelwitte, gebaseer op internationale vereistes, is geformuleer om te dien as die basis vir die ontwerp van ‘n wetenskaplik korrekte moniteringstelsel. Drie verskillende tipes watergehalte data, naamlik globale rivier fluksie, globale neigings en globale agtergrond data is as die hoof kokusareas geïdentifiseer. ‘n Wye veskeidenheid van tegnieke, naamlik statistiese analises van nasionale watergehalte data, spesialis werkswinkels, vergadering met internasionale rolspelers, geografiese inligtingstelsels (GIS), ouditering van die werksverrigting van bestaande nationale monitering data en veldwerk is gebruik om ‘n stelsel te ontwerp wat sal verseker dat SA die daargestelde doelwitte sal kan bereik. Baie aandag is ook gegee aan die ontwikkeling van ‘n allomvattende ISO 9001:2000 gebaseerde gehaltebestuurstelsel en ‘n operasionele stelsel om die volhoubare versameling en verskaffing van betroubare data te verseker. Die belang van die dokumentering van so ‘n moniteringstrategie word beklemtoon. Hierdie strategie moet die inligtingsbehoeftes duidelik met die moniteringdoelwitte verbind, wat weer met die moniteringprogram ontwerp gekoppel moet wees. Gedurende die ontwerpproses is ‘n verskeidenheid van tekortkominge in die bestaande stelsels en programme geïdentifiseer en spesifieke aanbevelings is gemaak. Van die hoof aanbevelings hou verband met die implementering van ‘n gehaltebestuurstelsel vir bestaande en nuwe nationale moniteringsstelsels, plasing van moniteringspunte, verandering van moniteringsfrekwensies en die uitbreiding van veranderlikes waarvoor daar getoets word. Die finale gevolgtrekking was dat Suid Afrika wel die vermoeë het om hulle ooreenkoms met die VN Water Program na te kom, op voorwaarde dat die aanbevelings wat uit hierdie studie spruit, geïmplimenteer moet word.