Apho Le Ngxaki Igquba Khona
UMARY, ohlala eUnited States, uvuka ahlambe umzimba eshaweni, avulele amanzi axukuxe, agungxule indlu yangasese, aze ahlambe izandla zakhe. Uthi esidla isidlo sakusasa, abe sele esebenzise amanzi anokuyizalisa qhu ibhafu eqhelekileyo. Ekupheleni kosuku, njengoninzi lwabantu baseStates, uMary uba sele esebenzise ngaphezu kweelitha ezingama-350 zamanzi, manzi lawo anokuzizalisa de ziphuphume iibhafu ezimbini zide zibe nesiqingatha. Kuye, ngumtsi omnye kuphela ukuya kwimpompo ekufutshane ukuze afumane amanzi acocekileyo namaninzi. Asoloko ekho; uwathabatha nje ngokulula.
Imeko kaDede, ohlala eNtshona Afrika, yahluke mpela kule. Uvuka kwangonyezi, anxibe, angcekelele iemele enkulu, aze enjenjeya ebetha ngezikaTshiwo kangangeekhilomitha ezisibhozo ukuya kukha amanzi kumlambo okufutshane. Apho uhlamba umzimba, azalise le emele agoduke. Olu cwangciso lwemihla ngemihla luthabatha malunga neeyure ezine. Ngenye iyure, uhluza la manzi ukuze asuse izifunxi-gazi aze awagalele kwiinkonkxa ezintathu—amanye abe ngawokusela, amanye awasebenzise kwizinto zekhaya, aze amanye awasebenzise xa ehlamba umzimba ngokuhlwa. Yonke impahla uyihlamba emlanjeni.
UDede uthi: “Apha sibhuqwa kukunqongophala kwamanzi. Ekubeni ndichitha phantse isiqingatha sentsasa ekukheni amanzi, lingakanani ithuba elisalela ukulima neminye imisebenzi?”
Imeko kaDede iqhelekile. Ngokutsho kweWorld Health Organization (WHO), ixesha elichithwa nyaka ngamnye yinkitha yamabhinqa nabantwana abakha baze bathwale amanzi besuka kwimithombo ekude nesoloko inamanzi angacocekanga lifikelela kwiminyaka elishumi lezigidi!
Bambi Banawo, Abanye Abanawo
Ngoko ngoxa amanzi acocekileyo edlal’ abantwana ehlabathini lonke, akasasazwa ngokulinganayo. Yintsindabadala yokuqala leyo. Ngokomzekelo, izazinzulu zicinga ukuba ngoxa iAsia inama-36 ekhulwini amanzi azalise amachibi nemilambo yehlabathi, eli lizwekazi lihlala ama-60 ekhulwini abantu abasehlabathini. Ngokwahlukileyo uMlambo iAmazon une-15 ekhulwini lamanzi omlambo asehlabathini, kodwa kuphela ngabantu behlabathi abali-0,4 ekhulwini abahlala kufutshane ngokwaneleyo kulo mlambo nabakwaziyo ukuwusebenzisa. Ngokufanayo nemvula ayini ngokulinganayo. Eminye imimandla yomhlaba phantse yome qoko; eminye, nangona ingasoloko yomile, ngamaxesha athile ikhe ithwaxwe yimbalela.
Iingcaphephe ezininzi zikholelwa kwelokuba abantu banokubangela utshintsho kwimozulu kwanakwimvula. Ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi, ukulima ngokugqithiseleyo nokubhuqisa kuwushiya uze umhlaba. Bambi bagqiba ngelokuba xa kunjalo, umhlaba utsala ubushushu obuninzi belanga uze ubuthumele esibhakabhakeni. Oko kuphumela ekubeni: Isibhakabhaka sibe shushu ngakumbi, amafu ayagqagqana, nemvula inqabe.
Kwanomhlaba oluqayi unokubangela ukunqaba kwemvula, kuba imvula eninzi ena emahlathini isuka kumanzi aqale afunxwa kwizityalo—kumagqabi emithi nakumatyholo angaphantsi kwayo. Ngamany’ amazwi, izityalo zisebenza njengesiponji esikhulu esifunxa size sigcine imvula. Ukuba ufuna ukuphelelwa ngamanzi anokwenza amafu emvula, geca imithi namatyholo.
Indlela izenzo zabantu ezikuchaphazela ngayo ukuna kwemvula isagwadlwa; kusafuneka ihlolisiswe ngakumbi. Eyona nto iqinisekileyo yeyokuba: Ukunqongophala kwamanzi kuligqibe lonke. IWorld Bank ilumkisa ngelithi, oku kunqongophala kulumise mantsantsa uqoqosho nempilo yamazwe angama-80. Ibe ama-40 ekhulwni abemi bomhlaba—abantu abangaphezu kwamawaka amabini ezigidi—sele benengxaki yokungakwazi ukufumana amanzi acocekileyo okanye inkqubo yogutyulo.
Xa ephelelwa ngamanzi, amazwe afumileyo asoloko enayo indlela yokuzikhunyula kule ntsumantsumane. Akha amadama, asebenzisa ubugcisa obubiza imali eninzi ekucoceni amanzi awo, okanye ahluze ityuwa kumanzi olwandle. Amazwe ahlwempuzekileyo akanazo ezo ndlela. Ngokufuthi kufuneka akhethe phakathi kokuwankinkisha amanzi acocekileyo, nto leyo enokuma phambi kwenkqubela ize inciphise ukuveliswa kokutya, okanye aphinde asebenzise amanzi angacocwanga, nto leyo ebangela ukwanda kwezifo. Njengoko amanzi efuneka ngamandla kuyo yonke indawo, kubonakala ngathi kuza kuba goswan’ okwaphukayo kwikamva.
IShumi Leminyaka Elinik’ Ithemba
NgoNovemba 10, 1980, iNgqungquthela YeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo yathetha yophela “Ngokufumaneka Kwamanzi Okusela Kwizizwe Ngezizwe Neshumi Leminyaka Lokuphucuka Kwemeko Yogutyulo.” Kule ngqungquthela kwavakaliswa ukuba, kwakusukelwa ukuba ngowe-1990 amanzi nenkqubo yogutyulo zibe sele zifumaneka ngokwaneleyo kumazwe asakhasayo. Ekupheleni kweli shumi leminyaka, kwakusele kuchithwe malunga nee-R594 zamawaka ezigidi ukuze abantu abangaphezu kwewaka lesigidi bafumane amanzi acocekileyo nokuze kwenzelwe abantu abangaphezu kwama-750 ezigidi iindawo zokulahla amanzi amdaka—yimpumelelo enkulu leyo.
Noko ke, le mpumelelo iye yagalelw’ amanzi kukwanda kwabemi ngabantu abangama-800 ezigidi kumazwe asakhasayo. Ngenxa yoko, ngowe-1990 kwakusekho abantu abangaphezu kwewaka lesigidi ababengakwazi ukufumana amanzi acocekileyo nenkqubo efanelekileyo yogutyulo. Le ngxaki isenokubonakala ingqinela oko kwathethwa ngukumkanikazi kuAlice kwibali labantwana elithi Through the Looking-Glass: “Uyazi, kufuneka ubaleke de uqhawuk’ umlenze, ukuze uhlale kuloo ndawo ukuyo. Ukuba ufuna ukudlula, kufuneka uqinise ngokuphindwe kabini kunoko!”
Ngokutsho kweWHO, ukususela ngowe-1990, yonke inkqubela ekuphuculweni kwemeko yabo bangenamanzi nenkqubo yogutyulo “ibirhuqa phantsi.” Xa wayengusekela-mongameli wezophando kwiWorldwatch Institute, uSandra Postel wabhala wathi: “Isengamanyal’ enyoka into yokuba abantu abali-1,2 lamawaka ezigidi kufuneke bafumane izifo okanye bafe xa besela amanzi. Isizathu soko asikokunqongophala kwamanzi okanye ukungabikho kobugcisa obufanelekileyo bokwenza oko kodwa kukusilela kwebutho labantu nezobupolitika ukuzimisela ekwaneliseni iimfuno ezisisiseko zabantu abangamahlwempu. Ukulungiselela wonke umntu into uninzi lwethu oluyijonga njengengenamsebenzi—amanzi acocekileyo okusela nenkqubo yokugungxulelwa kwelindle, bekuya kudla imali engakumbi eqikelelwa kwii-$36 zamawaka ezigidi [kwii-R160 lamawaka ezigidi] ngonyaka, mali leyo elingana ngokomyinge ne-4 ekhulwini semali echithelwa emkhosini lihlabathi.”
Ukwanda Kwabemi, Kubangela Imfuneko Engakumbi
Ukungasasazwa ngokulinganayo kwamanzi kwenziwa nzima kakhulu yenye ingxaki yesibini: Njengoko abemi besanda, kwanda nemfuneko yamanzi. Ehlabathini lonke phantse imvula ina ngendlela efanayo, kodwa abemi bayanda. Ukusetyenziswa kwamanzi kuye kwaphindaphindeka kabini ubuncinane izihlandlo ezibini kule nkulungwane, ibe bambi baqikelela ukuba kusenokuphindaphindeka kwakhona kwiminyaka engama-20 ezayo.
Kambe ke, ukwanda kwenani labantu akufuni nje amanzi okusela angakumbi kodwa nokutya okungakumbi. Kwanokuveliswa kokutya kufuna amanzi amaninzi. Noko ke, ezolimo kufuneka zikhuphisane neemfuno zamanzi zezorhwebo nezabantu. Njengoko izixeko nemimandla enemizi-mveliso isanda, ezolimo zisoloko zisifa namthanyana. Omnye umphengululi uyabuza: “Kuza kuvela phi ukutya? Kunokwenzeka njani ukuba sanelise iimfuno zabantu abali-10 lamawaka ezigidi ekubeni kungenkankulu ukuba sanelise iimfuno zabantu abangamawaka ezigidi ezi-5 yaye sithabatha namanzi kwezolimo?”
Abemi banda kakhulu kumazwe asakhasayo, apho anqabe khona amanzi kakade. Okulusizi kukuba, loo mazwe aboph’ amaxonya, ngokwemali nangobugcisa ukuze ahlangabezane neengxaki zamanzi.
Ungcoliso
Ukongezelela kwingxaki yokunqongophala kwamanzi neemfuno ezibangelwa kukwanda kwabemi, kukho enye ingxaki yesithathu ehlobene nazo: ungcoliso. IBhayibhile ithetha ‘ngomlambo wamanzi obomi,’ kodwa imilambo emininzi namhlanje yeyokufa. (ISityhilelo 22:1) Ngokutsho kolunye uqikelelo, amanzi amdaka—asuka emakhaya nakwimizi-mveliso—angene kwimilambo esehlabathini nyaka ngamnye aziikyubhiki zeekhilomitha ezingama-450. Imilambo nemisinga emininzi ingcole xa iyonke.
Kumazwe asakhasayo ehlabathi, amanzi amdaka angcolisa phantse yonke imilambo emikhulu. Uhlolisiso olwenziwa kwimilambo emikhulu yaseRashiya engama-200 lwabonisa ukuba esi-8 kweli-10 kuyo ithe mome ziintsholongwane eziyingozi. Imilambo neendawo ezinamanzi zamazwe asele ehambele phambili, nangona ingazaliswanga ngamanzi amdaka, isoloko ityhefwa yimichiza eyingozi, kuquka leyo ivela kwizichumiso zezolimo. Phantse kuzo zonke iindawo ezisemhlabeni, amazwe angaselwandle akhuphela amanzi amdaka kumanzi angekho nzulu akumanxweme awo, ngaloo ndlela ewenza mdaka la manzi.
Ngenxa yoko, ungcoliso lwamanzi yingxaki yehlabathi lonke. Ishwankathela le meko, incwadana yeAudubon Society ethi Water: The Essential Resource ithi: “Isinye kwisithathu soluntu sigul’ intw’ engapheliyo okanye sibe yimilwelwe ngenxa yamanzi angacocekanga; esinye isithathu sisongelwa kukugalelwa kwemichiza enemiphumo ehlala ixesha elide nengaziwayo emanzini.”
Amanzi Amdaka, Abangela Impilo Enkenenkene
Xa uDede okhankanywe ngaphambilana, wathi “sibhuqwa kukunqongophala kwamanzi,” wayethetha ngokufuziselayo. Sekunjalo, ukungabikho kwamanzi acocekileyo kubhuqa ngokoqobo. Kuye nakwizigidi ezifana naye, akukho ndlela-mbini ngaphandle kokusebenzisa amanzi asuka kwimijelo nakwimilambo, engumgubo nje wengxow’ enye nemijelo evulekileyo ehambisa amanzi amdaka. Akumangalisi ukuba, ngokutsho kweWHO, kufa umntwana ngenxa yesifo esihlobene namanzi rhoqo ngomzuzwana wesibhozo!
Ngokutsho kwephephancwadi iWorld Watch, kumazwe asakhasayo, ama-80 ekhulwini azo zonke izifo asasazwa kukuselwa kwamanzi angakhuselekanga. Iintsholongwane nongcoliso lwamanzi lubulala abantu abazizigidi ezingama-25 nyaka ngamnye.
Izifo ezibulalayo nezihlobene namanzi—isifo sorhudo, ikholera, necesina—zibulala abona bantu baninzi kweleeNjiko. Kodwa, izifo ezibangelwa ngamanzi azigqugqisanga nje kumazwe asakhasayo. Ebudeni bowe-1993, eUnited States, abantu abangama-400-000 babelele ngendlu eMilwaukee, eWisconsin, emva kokusela amanzi aphuma empompeni awayenentsholongwane eyayinganyangeki ngechlorine. Kwangaloo nyaka mnye, iintsholongwane eziyingozi zaya kuthi gxwabhabha kwiindawo zamanzi zezinye izixeko zaseUnited States—eWashington, D.C.; kwiSixeko saseNew York; naseCabool, eMissouri—nto leyo eyanyanzelela abemi bezo ndawo ukuba bawabilise amanzi aphuma ezimpompeni zabo.
Ukwabelana Ngemilambo
Iingxaki ezihlobeneyo ezibangelwa kukunqongophala kwamanzi, imfuneko engxamisekileyo ebangelwa kukwanda kwabemi, nongcoliso olubangela impilo enkenenkene, zonke ezo zinto zinokubangela ukunxunguphala nongquzulwano. Ngapha koko, amanzi asinto nje yobunewunewu. Elinye ilungu lezobupolitika laseSpeyin elalimhokamhokana nale ngxaki yamanzi lathi: “Asizabalazeli ukuphumelela ngokwezoqoqosho, kodwa silwela ukusinda.”
Eyona nto ibangela unxunguphalo kukwabelana ngamanzi asuka emilanjeni. Ngokutsho kukaPeter Gleick, umphengululi waseUnited States, ama-40 ekhulwini abemi basemhlabeni ahlala kumazibuko emilambo engama-250 enamanzi asetyenziswa ngamazwe aliqela. Imilambo iBrahmaputra, i-Indus, iMekong, iNiger, umNayile, neTigris ityhubela kumazwe amaninzi—mazwe lawo afuna ukutsala amanzi amaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka kuyo. Oko sele kubangele ukuxhwithana.
Njengoko amanzi efuneka ngakumbi, ukunxunguphala okunjalo kuza kuqhubeka kukho. Usekela-mongameli weWorld Bank kwicandelo le-Environmentally Sustainable Development uqikelela ukuba: “Uninzi lweemfazwe kule nkulungwane beziphathelele ioli, kodwa isizekabani seemfazwe zenkulungwane elandelayo siya kuba ngamanzi.”
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Imolekyuli Ehambahambayo
Makhe silandele imolekyuli enye yamanzi njengoko ikuhambo lwayo olungapheliyo. Udederhu lwemifanekiso elandelayo, enamanani abekwe ukuze avumelane noko kubhaliweyo, ibonisa indlela enye nje kwezizizigidi ngezigidi ezinokusetyenziswa yimolekyuli enye yamanzi ukubuyela apho ibivela khona.—Yobhi 36:27; INtshumayeli 1:7.
Siza kuqala ngemolekyuli ekulwandlekazi. (1) Njengoko amanzi efunxwa ngamandla elanga, le molekyuli iyenyuka de ifikelele kwiimitha ezingamakhulu aliqela ukusuka emhlabeni. (2) Ngoku, ukuze kubekho iqabaza lamanzi, idibana nezinye iimolekyuli zamanzi. Eli qabaza lihamba nomoya kangangamakhulu eekhilomitha. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, eli qabaza liyafunxwa, ibe le molekyuli iyenyuka kwakhona de, ekugqibeleni, idibane nethontsi lemvula elisele lilikhulu kangangokuba lingawela emhlabeni. (3) Eli thontsi liwela kwiqolo lenduli kunye namanye angamawaka ezigidi; la manzi ayaqukuqela ukuya kungena emisingeni. (4)
Emva koko ixhama lisela kuloo msinga, liginya le molekyuli. (5) Kwisithuba seeyure kamva eli xhama liyachama, ize le molekyuli iwele emhlabeni apho ifunyanwa ziingcambu zomthi. (6) Ukusuka apho, le molekyuli inyuka ngomthi ize ekugqibeleni isuke egqabini sele ingumphunga iye emoyeni. (7) Njengasekuqaleni, iyenyuka iye kuncedisa ekwenzeni elinye iqabaza. Eli qabaza limka nomoya lide lidibane nelifu elimnyama nelingqindilili lemvula. (8) Le molekyuli ihla kunye nemvula, kodwa ngoku ifika kumlambo othi uyithumele kulwandlekazi. (9) Isenokuhlala apho kangangamawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba ifike emhlabeni, ibe ngumphunga ize iphinde ihambe nomoya. (10)
Lo mjikelo awupheli: Amanzi olwandle aguquka abe ngumphunga, anyuke aye esibhakabhakeni, ane njengemvula, aze abuyele elwandle kwakhona. Ngokwenza oko, amanzi azimasa zonke izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni.
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Okuye Kwacetywa
Ukwakha iindawo zokukhupha ityuwa. Apha kukhutshwa ityuwa emanzini. Ngokuqhelekileyo oku kwenziwa ngokumpompela amanzi kumagumbi aneqondo eliphantsi lobushushu, apho athi afudunyezwe de abile. La manzi aba ngumphunga ibe athunyelwa kwelinye icala, eshiya ngasemva ityuwa. Le yinkqubo ebiza imali eninzi, engafikelelekiyo kumazwe amaninzi asakhasayo.
Ukunyibilikisa iintaba zomkhenkce. Ezinye izazinzulu zivakalelwa kukuba iintaba zomkhenkce ezinkulu, ezinamanzi acwengileyo nacocekileyo zinokurhuqwa eAntarctic ngamaphenyane asetyenziselwa ukutsala zize zinyibilikiswe ukuze kunikwe amanzi amazwe ayinkqantosi kuMazantsi eIkhweyitha. Ingxaki inye yeyokuba: Malunga nesiqingatha sentaba yomkhenkce nganye siya kunyibilikela elwandle ngaphambi kokuba sifike apho sisiwa khona.
Ukusebenzisa imithombo engaphantsi komhlaba. Imithombo engaphantsi komhlaba ngamatye agcina amanzi asemathunjini omhlaba. Kunokumpompelwa amanzi kula matye, kwanakweyona ntlango ibharhileyo. Kodwa ukutsala la manzi kubiza imali eninzi ibe icutha amanzi kwiindawo ezinamanzi. Enye ingxaki yeyokuba: Imithombo emininzi engaphantsi komhlaba ihlaziywa kancinane gqitha—ibe eminye ayihlaziywa kwaukuhlaziywa.
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Ukukha amanzi kunokuthabatha iiyure ezine suku ngalunye
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Amanzi amdaka aziikyubhiki zeekhilomitha ezingama-450 angena emilanjeni nyaka ngamnye
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Photo: Mora, Godo-Foto