Green Hills, Blue Cities

constituency for good watershed management; • Demonstrate that it pays to protect watersheds, instead of building expensive water purification systems; • Raise awareness on the impact of poor water quality on health, economy and the environment; and • Mainstream the environment into urban water management through approaches such as Payments for Ecosystems Services, Integrated Water Resources Management, and Water Demand Management. Africa is the fastest urbanising region in the world. The movement of human capital not only concentrates production and drives economic growth, but also brings into question if Africa’s urban areas are on an unsustainable course that could be derailed. In assessing environmental stewardship with regards to urban water supply, sanitation and ecosystems services as potential destabilising factors in the urbanization process in the long term in Africa, this report concludes that: • The need for water is increasing, further widening the disparity between demand and availability of safe drinking water and sanitation. • If urban planning does not mainstream environment by acknowledging the urbanisation – water – ecosystems nexus, urban water quality will deteriorate, destroying ecosystems and spreading waterborne diseases to not only the communities downstream, but also to the cities themselves. • There are unique water supply and sanitation challenges to the various cities in Africa, and these include: • dependence on ecosystems services that are outside city boundaries; • growing reliance on groundwater supplies, the quality of which is at times compromised by the poor management of wastewater; • growing participation of the private sector in complementing government and local authority efforts in water supply and sanitation levels; and • little use of alternative water sources, including rainwater harvesting. • In light of the improving understanding of the urbanisation – water – ecosystems nexus, water sector management reforms that are being considered across Africa need to incorporate elements of water demand management, integrated water resources management and payment for ecosystem services. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

municipal authority efforts in the delivery of water and sanitation services, especially to the poor sections of urban areas; • Take into account the generally high levels of income poverty in Africa by acknowledging that market-based approaches are not always the best option to supplying water in urban areas in a sustainable way; • Understand how poor urban dwellers, including those living in slums and peri-urban areas, get, use and manage water, and what affects their decisions; • Tailor water supply and sanitation services to the needs and capabilities of consumers, with variations in type, location and features of services; • Pay attention to consumer values, lifestyle and budgets in order to set appropriate tariffs and payment options for different groups; • Ensure that public health, the environment and the economy are protected, while all groups in society are covered; • Take advantage of the opportunities provided by urban waste and wastewater through use in irrigation, generation of electricity and environmental flows; • Recognise that urban areas will continue to grow, and that the demand for water and sanitation services will continue to outstrip service delivery for the foreseeable future; • Inform residents about how the links between forests, protected areas and water supply could help build a

59

Made with