trends and future of sustainable development - TransEco

Table 2.The main pieces of legislation on sanitation and recycling of nutrients.LegislationThe LocalGovernment Act(1991)The Public Health Act(1995)Water Supply andSanitation Act (1997)The Water Act (1994)The EnvironmentalProtection andPollution Control Act(1999)The Agriculture(Fertiliser and Feed)Act (1994)The Main ObjectivesObligates the local authorities to establish and maintain sanitary convenienceand ablution facilities as well as provide a clean water supply and preventpollution of water courses.Sanitary facilities are limited to “drains, sewers and works for the disposal ofsewerage and refuse”, and while the act is not limited to that definition, noother definitions are specifically mentioned.“No person shall permit any manure or garbage on his premises or land, so asto be a nuisance or dangerous to health by affording facilities for breeding byflies or other insects”.The Act strongly prefers water closet as the type of latrine. In fact, an ownerof a non-water closet can be asked to replace their latrine with a watercloset. More primitive "pail closet" (latrine accommodation including amovable receptacle for human excreta) and "pit closet" (latrineaccommodation situated over any hole or excavation in the ground) areallowed only in exceptional cases, and a permit from a local authority isalways required. A dry toilet is not at all allowed within a dwelling house. Ingeneral, pit latrines are forbidden.Defines the duties of the National Water and Sanitation Council (NWASCO):The council acts as an advisor to both the government as well as forcommercial utilities and other actors, and is responsible for establishing andenforcing standards for sanitation and developing guidelines for the sector.Mainly concentrates on the ownership and the user rights of water bodies.Pollution is forbidden but the details are vague. Currently being reviewed bythe Parliament (2011).Discusses the use of any effluent, but limits the definition to all agricultural,industrial and domestic wastewater. The act forbids the dilution or dischargeof wastewater without a license, assuming the licensed wastewatertreatment facilities are up to the environmental standards.Defines fertiliser as “any substance or compound of substances, which isintended or offered for sale, or sold, for use in the improvement ormaintenance of the growth of plants or of the productivity of the soil; butdoes not include farmyard or stable manure; kraal manure, compost, woodash, town refuse or night soil, when sold in its original conditions and underits name”. However, “compost” means here decomposed vegetable or mixedvegetable and animal matter forming organic manure. In this piece oflegislation, human manure is not discussed in any way.152