Possible impacts of the transformation of water infrastructure on productive water uses : the case of the seokodibeng village in South Africa

The study assesses the current water supply system and water uses in the Seokodibeng village in the former Lebowa homeland, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. This village is part of a group of 96 villages that are to receive water from a pipeline built by neighboring mines in order to secure their development. The mines and the villages are members of the Lebalelo Water User Association. In 2003, this association was the only Water User Association in South Africa not based on farming activities. The initial question of this study concerns the future of productive uses of water at village and household levels once Seokodibeng's connection to the pipeline is achieved. The review of past investments shows that the village was successful in attracting funds from many organizations to develop its water pumping and distribution infrastructure. However, investments for irrigation activities or domestic water uses have been made separately, without considering the possible multiple uses of an infrastructure. Because of internal problems and the lack of satisfying communication with other external organizations, a part of the village faces serious water shortages, while irrigation has been stopped in the different communal gardens. At the same time, homestead gardens irrigated from communal taps are flourishing in the part of the village unaffected by shortages. The connection to the pipeline will bring about a change in tariffs, from a monthly fee per household to one based on volume consumption, but communal taps will probably still be used. The analysis of the economic productivity of the different small-scale activities (homestead garden, communal garden, brick fabrication, and livestock) shows that all these users should be able to bear the change in the tariff system, provided that the products can be sold. The current problems faced by the village are not a lack of water resources or equipment, but rather a lack of internal organization within the village and the absence of an organization in charge of maintenance that is accountable to the village. Therefore, the important investment about to be made of connecting the village to the pipeline may be less urgent than an improvement of the institutional organization of water supply. The productivity of water used at household level and the link between the size of the gardens and the distance from the taps call for a more thorough investigation of the costs and benefits of installing household taps.