Lapho Inkinga Inkulu Kakhulu Khona
UMARY, ohlala e-United States, uyageza ekuseni, axubhe ngamanzi aphuma empompini, ashaye amanzi endlini yangasese, abese egeza izandla. Ngisho nangaphambi kokudla kwasekuseni, angase asebenzise amanzi amaningi angagcwalisa ubhavu. Ekupheleni kosuku, uMary, njengabanye abaningi abahlala eStates, usuke esesebenzise amalitha amanzi angaphezu kuka-350, anele ukugcwalisa ubhavu ngokuphindwe kabili nengxenye. Kuye, amanzi ahlanzekile atholakala kalula empompini. Ahlala etholakala; akawashayi mkhuba.
KuDede, ohlala eNtshonalanga Afrika, isimo sihlukile. Uvuka kusempondozankomo, agqoke, athwale umgqomo omkhulu, abese ehamba amakhilomitha angu-8 eya emfuleni oseduze. Lapho, ufike ageze, agcwalise lomgqomo ngamanzi, abese ebuyela ekhaya. Lomsebenzi oyinsakavukela uthatha amahora angaba mane. Ehoreni elilandelayo, ucwenga lamanzi ukuze akhiphe amagciwane abese ewathela emigqonyeni emithathu—omunye owamanzi aphuzwayo, omunye owamanzi okusetshenziswa endlini kanti omunye owamanzi azogeza ngawo ebusuku. Noma yiziphi izingubo kumelwe aziwashe emfuleni.
UDede uthi: “Ukuntuleka kwamanzi kuyasibulala lapha. Njengoba uchitha cishe yonke ingxenye yesikhathi sasekuseni uyokha amanzi, singakanani isikhathi sosuku esisele sokulima noma ukwenza eminye imisebenzi?”
Isimo sikaDede sikhona yonke indawo. Ngokwe-World Health Organization (WHO), ingqikithi yesikhathi esichithwa unyaka ngamunye inqwaba yabesifazane nabantwana beyokha futhi bethwala amanzi ibanga elide, ngokuvamile avela emithonjeni engcolile, silinganiselwa eminyakeni engaphezu kwezigidi eziyishumi!
Abanye Banawo, Abanye Abanawo
Ngakho, nakuba kunamanzi angenasawoti ayinsada emhlabeni wonke, awabiwa ngendlela efanele. Leyo inkinga yokuqala enkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ososayensi bathi nakuba e-Asia kunamaphesenti angu-36 amanzi agcwalisa amachibi nemifula emhlabeni, lelozwe linamaphesenti angu-60 abantu abasemhlabeni. Ngokuphambene, uMfula i-Amazon uqukethe amaphesenti angu-15 amanzi emifula esemhlabeni, kodwa kunabantu abangu-0,4% kuphela abasemhlabeni abahlala eduze abangawasebenzisa. Ngokufanayo, imvula ayitholakali ngendlela efanayo kuyo yonke indawo. Ezinye izindawo emhlabeni cishe aziyitholi neze imvula; ezinye, nakuba ziyithola, ngezinye izikhathi ziba nesomiso.
Ochwepheshe abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi abantu bangase babangele ushintsho oluthile esimweni sezulu, olungathinta ukuna kwemvula. Ukugawulwa kwamahlathi, ukulima ngokweqile nokuklaba kwemfuyo ngokweqile konke kugugula inhlabathi. Abanye bathi lapho lokho kwenzeka, umhlaba ubuyisela ukukhanya kwelanga okuningi emkhathini. Umphumela: Umkhathi uyafudumala, kuhlakazeke amafu, bese kuncipha ukuna kwemvula.
Ugwadule nalo lungakunciphisa ukuna kwemvula ngoba imvula eningi ena emahlathini ingamanzi asuke ehwamuke ohlazeni—emaqabungeni ezihlahla nasesinindolweni. Ngamanye amazwi, uhlaza lunjengesiponji esikhulu esimunca futhi sigcine imvula. Uma ugawula izihlahla nesinindolo, aba mancane amanzi angenza amafu emvula.
Ukuthi izenzo zomuntu zikuthinta kangakanani ukuna kwemvula kuyindaba okusaphikiswana ngayo; kusadingeka kucwaningwe ngokwengeziwe. Kodwa lokhu kuqinisekile: Ukuntuleka kwamanzi kusabalele. IBhange Lomhlaba lixwayisa ngokuthi kakade lokhu kuntuleka kusongela ezomnotho nezempilo emazweni angu-80. Futhi kakade, amaphesenti angu-40 ezakhamuzi zasemhlabeni—abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili—awanawo amanzi ahlanzekile noma indlela yokukhucululwa kwendle.
Lapho ebhekene nokuntuleka kwamanzi, ngokuvamile amazwe acebile anayo imali yokuzikhipha kulenkinga. Akha amadamu, asebenzise imishini yobuchwepheshe ebizayo ukuze awahlanze kabusha amanzi awo, noma akhiphe ngisho nosawoti emanzini olwandle. Amazwe ampofu awanayo imali yokwenza lezi zinto. Ngokuvamile kumelwe akhethe ukwabelana amanzi ahlanzekile, okungase kuthiye intuthuko futhi kunciphise ukukhiqizwa kokudla, noma ukuphinde asebenzise amanzi angafakiwe amakhemikhali, okuphumela ekusakazekeni kwezifo. Njengoba indingeko yamanzi yanda yonke indawo, kubonakala sengathi esikhathini esizayo kuyoba nesomiso esikhulu.
Ishumi Leminyaka Lethemba
Ngo-November 10, 1980, uMgwamanda WeZizwe Ezihlangene wakhuluma ngokuqiniseka ngokuza kwe-“International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade.” Lomgwamanda wamemezela ukuthi umgomo kwakuwukuthi ngonyaka ka-1990 unikeze bonke abahlala emazweni asathuthuka amanzi ahlanzekile nezindawo ezihlanzekile. Ekupheleni kwalelo shumi leminyaka, kwase kuchithwe amaRandi angaba izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-594 ukuze abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane bathole amanzi ahlanzekile nabangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-750 bathole izindlela zokukhuculula indle—kwakufezwe lukhulu.
Nokho, lentuthuko yaphazanyiswa ukwanda kwenani labantu laba yizigidi ezingu-800 emazweni asathuthuka. Ngakho, ngo-1990, kwakusenabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane ababentula amanzi ahlanzekile nezindawo ezihlanzekile ezanele. Lesi simo kwabonakala senanela amazwi ashiwo indlovukazi ku-Alice encwadini yezindaba zabantwana ethi Through the Looking-Glass: “Phela kudingeka uzikhandle ngangokunokwenzeka ukuze uhlale ulapho. Uma ufuna ukufinyelela endaweni ethile, kumelwe uzikhandle ngokuphindwe kabili kunalokho!”
Ngokwe-WHO, kusukela ngo-1990, isiyonke intuthuko yokulungisa isimo salabo abangenamanzi nabangenazo izindawo ezihlanzekile “ibisezingeni eliphansi.” USandra Postel, lapho ayeseyiphini likamongameli wocwaningo e-Worldwatch Institute wabhala: “Kusewukushiyeka okungathi sína ngokokuziphatha ukuthi abantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-1,2 abakwazi ukuphuza amanzi ngaphandle kokuzifaka engozini yezifo noma yokufa. Isizathu akukhona ukuntuleka kwamanzi noma ukungabi bikho kwezinqubo zobuchwepheshe kodwa ukuntuleka kokuzimisela komphakathi nezombangazwe ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zabampofu eziyisisekelo. Kungathatha ama-dollar engeziwe ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-36 [amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-160] ngonyaka, okucishe kulingane namaphesenti amane ezindleko ezichithwa umhlaba wonke kwezempi, ukulethela sonke isintu lokho iningi lethu elingakushayi mkhuba—amanzi aphuzwayo ahlanzekile nezindlela ezihlanzekile zokulahla imfucumfucu.”
Ukwanda Kwenani Labantu, Ukwanda Kwendingeko
Ukungabiwa ngendlela efanele kwamanzi kwenziwa nzima inkinga yesibili: Njengoba amanani abantu anda, iyanda nendingeko yamanzi. Imvula emhlabeni wonke cishe isafana, kodwa amanani abantu ayadlondlobala. Ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi kuye kwaphindeka okungenani kane kuleli khulu leminyaka, futhi abanye balinganisela ukuthi lesi sibalo singaphindeka kabili futhi phakathi neminyaka engu-20 ezayo.
Yiqiniso, amanani andayo abantu awadingi amanzi engeziwe okuphuza kuphela kodwa futhi adinga nokudla. Ukukhiqizwa kokudla nakho kudinga amanzi amaningi kakhulu. Nokho, ezolimo kumelwe zincintisane nezidingo zamanzi zezimboni nezabantu ngabanye. Njengoba amadolobha nezimboni kwanda, ngokuvamile ezolimo ziyahluleka. Omunye umcwaningi uyabuza: “Kuzovelaphi ukudla? Singabhekana kanjani nezidingo zabantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi kuyilapho singakwazi ukubhekana nezidingo zabantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu futhi eqinisweni siphundla ezolimo amanzi?”
Ukwanda kwenani labantu okukhulu kwenzeka emazweni asathuthuka lapho ngokuvamile amanzi asuke esentuleka khona. Ngokudabukisayo, lawo mazwe awanayo imali nobuchwepheshe bokubhekana nezinkinga zamanzi.
Ukungcola
Ngaphezu kwezinkinga zokuntuleka kwamanzi nezidingo zenani labantu elandayo kunenkinga yesithathu ehlobene nalokhu: ukungcola. IBhayibheli likhuluma ‘ngomfula wamanzi okuphila,’ kodwa imifula eminingi namuhla iyimifula yokufa. (IsAmbulo 22:1) Ngokokunye ukulinganisela, umthamo wamanzi angcolile—emakhaya nasezimbonini—ongena emifuleni yomhlaba unyaka ngamunye ulinganiselwa kuma-cubic khilomitha angu-450. Imifula nemifudlana eminingi ingcola kusukela esiphethwini kuze kube sesizalweni.
Emazweni omhlaba asathuthuka, indle engafakiwe amakhemikhali ingcolisa cishe yonke imifula emikhulu. Ukuhlolwa kwemifula emikhulu yaseRussia engu-200 kwabonisa ukuthi eyisishiyagalombili kweyishumi yayinezinto eziningi kakhulu ezibangela amagciwane. Imifula namanzi asemazweni athuthukile, nakuba kungagcwele imfucumfucu yendle, ngokuvamile kunamakhemikhali anobuthi, kuhlanganise namakhemikhali avela kumanyolo. Cishe kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba, amazwe angasogwini lolwandle achithela indle engafakiwe amakhemikhali ogwini olunamanzi angajulile, okungcolisa kakhulu amabhishi.
Ngakho, ukungcola kwamanzi kuyinkinga yembulunga yonke. Ifingqa lesi simo, incwajana ye-Audubon Society ethi Water: The Essential Resource ithi: “Ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yesintu ithwele kanzima ngenxa yokugula noma ubuthaka obungapheli okubangelwa amanzi angcolile; enye ingxenye yesithathu isongelwa ukuchithwa kwamakhemikhali emanzini okunemiphumela engaziwa ehlala isikhathi eside.”
Amanzi Angcolile Nempilo Ebuthaka
Lapho uDede, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, ethi “ukuntuleka kwamanzi kuyasibulala,” wayekhuluma ngokomfanekiso. Nokho, ukuntuleka kwamanzi ahlanzekile kubulala ngokoqobo. Kuye nasezigidini ezinjengaye, ayikho enye indlela ngaphandle kokusebenzisa amanzi emifudlana nemifula, ngokuvamile ecishe ifane namapayipi emfucumfucu yendle. Akumangalisi ukuthi i-WHO ithi izifo ezibangelwa amanzi zibulala umntwana oyedwa njalo emizuzwaneni engu-8!
Ngokukamagazini i-World Watch, emazweni asathuthuka amaphesenti angu-80 azo zonke izifo asakazwa ukusebenzisa amanzi angahlanzekile. Amagciwane asemanzini nokungcola kubulala abantu abayizigidi ezingu-25 minyaka yonke.
Izifo ezibulalayo ezibangelwa amanzi—kuhlanganise nesifo sohudo, ikholera ne-typhoid—zibulala abantu abaningi emaZweni Ashisayo. Nokho, izifo ezibangelwa amanzi azitholakali kuphela emazweni asathuthuka. Ngo-1993, e-United States, kwagula abantu abangu-400 000 eMilwaukee, eWisconsin, ngemva kokuphuza amanzi aphuma empompini ayenegciwane elimelana ne-chlorine. Ngalowo nyaka, amagciwane ayingozi angena ezimisweni zamanzi zakwamanye amadolobha e-United States—eWashington, D.C.; eNew York City; naseCabool, eMissouri—okwaphoqelela izakhamuzi ukuba zibilise amanzi ayephuma kompompi bazo.
Ukwabelana Amanzi Emifula
Izinkinga ezihlobene zokuntuleka kwamanzi, izinto ezifunwa amanani abantu andayo nokungcola okubangela ukugula konke kuyizici ezingaholela ekucindezelekeni nasengxabanweni. Phela, amanzi awayona into yokunethezeka. Isazi sezombangazwe saseSpain esasilwa nenkinga yamanzi sathi: “Akusewona umshikashika wezomnotho, kodwa owokulwela ukuphila.”
Ukucindezeleka okukhulu kubangelwa ukwabelana amanzi emifula. NgokukaPeter Gleick, umcwaningi wase-United States, amaphesenti angu-40 abantu emhlabeni ahlala ezigodini ezinemifula ezingu-250 okunamazwe amaningi ancintisana ngamanzi azo. Imifula iBrahmaputra, i-Indus, iMekong, iNayile, iNiger neTigris ngamunye uguduza emazweni amaningi—amazwe afuna ukudonsa amanzi amaningi ngangokunokwenzeka kuleyo mifula. Kakade, sekuye kwaba nezingxabano.
Njengoba indingeko yamanzi yanda, ziyokwanda nezingxabano. Umongameli weBhange Lomhlaba we-Environmentally Sustainable Development uyabikezela: “Izimpi eziningi kuleli khulu leminyaka zaziphathelene nowoyela, kodwa izimpi zekhulu leminyaka elizayo ziyophathelana namanzi.”
[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]
Uhambo Lwe-molecule
Ake sihlole uhambo lwe-molecule yamanzi eyodwa ekujikelezeni kwayo okungapheli. Lolu chungechunge lwemifanekiso ekulesi sihloko, olubhalwe izinombolo ukuze luvumelane nokubhaliwe, lubonisa omunye wemizila eyinqwaba i-molecule yamanzi eyodwa engahamba kuyo ukuze iphindele lapho ivela khona.—Jobe 36:27; UmShumayeli 1:7.
Sizoqala nge-molecule esolwandle.(1) Lapho ukushisa kwelanga kuhwamukisa amanzi, le-molecule iphakama ifinyelele emamitheni angamakhulu ambalwa ngaphezu komhlaba.(2) Manje, ihlangana namanye ama-molecule amanzi ukuze yakhe iconsi lamanzi elincane. Leli consi elincane lipheshulwa umoya ibanga elide. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi liyahwamuka, bese le-molecule iyaphakama futhi, kuze kuthi ekugcineni, ihlangane neconsi lemvula elikhulu ngokwanele ukuba liwele emhlabeni.(3) Leli consi lemvula liwela emaqeleni namanye amaconsi ayizigidi zezinkulungwane; lamanzi agelezela emfudlaneni.(4)
Khona-ke iphiva liphuza amanzi emfudlaneni, liphuze le-molecule yamanzi.(5) Emahoreni ambalwa kamuva leli phiva liyachama, bese le-molecule ingena emhlabathini lapho imuncwa khona izimpande zesihlahla.(6) Kusukela lapho, le-molecule iyenyuka esihlahleni abese ekugcineni ihwamuka eqabungeni ithathwe umoya.(7) Njengangaphambili, iyenyuka isize ekwakheni elinye iconsi elincane. Leli consi lipheshulwa umoya kuze kube yilapho lihlangana nefu elikhulu, elimnyama.(8) Le-molecule iyaphinda iwe nemvula, kodwa manje iwela emfuleni ozoyiyisa olwandle.(9) Lapho, ingase ihlale izinkulungwane zeminyaka ngaphambi kokuba ifinyelele ngaphezulu, ihwamuke futhi iphinde ipheshulwe umoya.(10)
Lomjikelezo awupheli: Amanzi ayahwamuka olwandle, ageleze ezweni, abe imvula, abese ephindela olwandle. Ngokwenza kanjalo, amanzi asekela zonke izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Okuhlongozwayo
Ukwakha izikhungo zokukhipha usawoti emanzini. Lezi zikhungo zikhipha usawoti emanzini olwandle. Ngokuvamile lokhu kwenziwa ngokumpompela amanzi emagumbini anomfutho ophansi, lapho ebaselwa khona aze abile. Amanzi ayahwamuka abese ekhishelwa kwenye indawo, kusale izinhlamvu zikasawoti. Kuyinqubo ebizayo, angenakuyifinyelela amazwe amaningi asathuthuka.
Ukuncibilikisa izinguzunga zeqhwa. Abanye ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi izinguzunga zeqhwa, ezinamanzi ahlanzekile zingadonswa ngezikebhe ezinkulu e-Antarctic bese zincibilikiswa ukuze kutholakale amanzi emazweni omile aseNingizimu Nenkabazwe. Inkinga yalokhu nansi: Cishe ingxenye yenguzunga yeqhwa iyoncibilikela olwandle ngaphambi kokuba ifike lapho iyiswa khona.
Ukudonsa amanzi kuma-aquifer. Ama-aquifer amadwala anamanzi asekujuleni komhlaba. Kungadonswa amanzi kulamadwala ngisho nasezindaweni ezome kakhulu zasogwadule. Kodwa ukudonsa lamanzi kuyabiza futhi kunciphisa amanzi. Enye inkinga nansi: Ama-aquifer amaningi ayephuza ukuvuseleleka—futhi amanye, awavuseleleki nhlobo.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 8]
Photo: Mora, Godo-Foto
[Izithombe ekhasini 5]
Ukuyokha amanzi kungathatha amahora amane usuku ngalunye
[Izithombe ekhasini 8]
Amanzi angcolile angama-“cubic” khilomitha angaba ngu-450 agobhozela emifuleni unyaka ngamunye